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^  PEINCEHON,  N.  J.  '^^ 


Presented  by  Mr.  Samuel  Agnew  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Agneiv  Coll.  07i  Baptism,  No, 


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4 


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SERMONS 

On  feveral 

Important  Subjects 

O  F 

Religion  and  Morality. 

To  Which  are  added 

TWO      TRACTS: 

I.  A  Summary   View  of  the  Dodrine  of 

Justification, 

II.  An  Enqjjiry  concerning  the  Anti- 
quity of  the  Practice  of  Infant-Com- 
munion, as  founded  on  the  Notion  of  it's 
strict  Necessity. 

In  T  w  o  N  o  L  u  M  E  s. 

By  Daniel  Waterland,  D.  D. 

Late  Arch-Deacon  o{  Middle  fix.  Master  of 
Magdalen- College  in  Cambridge,  &c.  and  Chap- 
lain in  Ordinary  to  His  Majesty. 

PubliJIjd  from  His  Original  MSS. 

With  A  Preface, 

By  Joseph    Clarke,  M.  A. 

Fellow  of  Magdalen- College  in  Cambridge. 

Vol,    IL 


LONDON:  Printed  for  W.  Innys,  at  the 
Wefl--End  of  St.  Paul's ;  and  R.  Ma  nby,  at 
the  Princess  Arms  on  Ludgate-HilL   M  dccxlii. 


THE  -     ^ 


CONTENTS 


s 


V  O  L.     11. 


SERMON     I. 

T.  Pa  U  l'^   Wiil:i,    'AvSejitcx.  sTvai  diro  tS 
Xp<ry>  explained  and  illuftrated. 


R  o  M.  ix.  3. 

-—I could  wijh  that  My  S'elf  were  accurfed  from 
Christ,  for  my  Brethren^  my  Kinfmen  ac- 
cording to  the  Flefi,  P.  i. 

„      SERMON     11. 

A  Sinlefs  Perfedion  and  Security  of  Salvation, 
no  Prerogative  of  a  Regenerate  State. 

I  Jo  H  N  iii.  9,   10. 

JVhofoe'ver  is  born  of  God,  doth  not  commit  Sin^ 
for  his  Seed  remaineth  in  Hi?n  ;  and  He  can-- 
not  fin,  becaufe  He  is  born  of  God.  In  This 
the  Children  of  God  are  ma?iifeft,  and  the 
Children  of  the  Devil :  PFhoJbever  doeth  Jiot 
Right eoiijhefs,  is  not  of  God,  neither  He  that 
loveth  not  his  Brother,  P.  1 9. 

a  2  SERMON 


iv         The    CONTENTS. 

SERMON    III. 

The  Scripture-Dodtrine  of  theUnprofitablenefs 
of  Man's  beft  Performances,  an  Argument 
againft  Spiritual  Pride ;  yet  no  Excufe  for 
Slacknefs  in  good  Works  and  Chriflian  Obe- 
dience. 

Lu,K  E  xvii.   10. 

So  Ukewife  Te,  when  Te  Jhall  have  done  all  thofe 
Thi?igs  which  are  commanded  Tbtij  Jay,  We 
are  unprofitable  Servants :  V/e  have  done  That 
which  was  our  Duty  to  do.  -P-  39• 

S  E  R  M  O  N     IV. 

The  Care  required  in  Chufing  our  Religious 
Principles,  and  the  Steddinefs  in  retaining 
them  when  fo  chofen,  flated  and  cleared. 

I   Th  E  SS.    V.    21. 

Prove  all  Things  :  Hold  fafi  That  which  is  good. 

P.  59. 
SERMON     V. 

The  precife  Nature  and  Force  of  Christ's 
Argument  founded  on  Exod.  iii.  6.  againfl 
the  Sadducees. 

Luke  XX.  37,  3". 

Now^  that  the  Dead  are  raifed^  even  Moses 
jhewed  at  the  BuJ]:>,  when  He  calleth  the  Lord, 
the  God  of  Abr  AH  AM,  a^id  the  God  of  Is  A  AC  y 
a?id  the  God  0/'  Jacob  :  For,  He  is  not  a  God 
of  the  Deady  but  of  the  Living  j  for  All  live 
to  Him,  P.  8  i^. 

SERMON 


The  CONTENTS.  v 

SERMON     VI. 

A  good  Life  the  fureft  Title  to  a  good  Con- 
fcience. 

I  John  iii.  21,  22. 

Beloved,  if  our  Heart  condemn  Us  not,  then  have 
We  Conjidence  towards  God  :  And  whatfoever 
We  ajk.  We  receive  of  Him,  becaufe  We  keep 
his  Commandments,  afid  do  thofe  "Things  which 
are  pleafng  in  his  Sight,  P.  103. 

SERMON     VII. 

The  Nature  and  Manner  in  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  may  be  fuppofed  to  operate  upon 
Us :  And  the  Marks  and  Tokens  of  fuch 
Operation. 

Rom.  viii.    14. 
As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  They 
are  the  Sons  of  God.  P.  123. 

SERMON     VIII. 

The  Springs  and  Motives  of  falfe  Pretences  to 
the  Holy  Spirit  ;  with  the  Rules  and 
Marks  of  trying  and  deteding  them. 

I  J  o  H  N  iv.   I . 

Beloved,  believe  not  every  Spirit,  but  try  the  Spi- 
rits whether  They  are  of  God,  P.  141. 

S  E  R  M  O  N     IX. 

The  precife  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy  againfl 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

Matth. 
I 


vi        The   CONTENTS. 

Matth.  xii.  31,  32. 

Wherefore  I  Jay  unto  Tou,  all  Manner  of  Sin 
and  Blafphemy  fiall  be  forgiven  unto  Men  : 
But  the  Blafphemy  again  ft  the  Holy  Ghost 
Jhall  not  be  forgiven  unto  Men. 

And  Whofoever  Jpeaketh  a  Word  againfl  the  Son 
OF  Man,  it  f mil  be  forgiven  Him  :  But 
Whofoever fpeaketh a^airfl  if/?^  Holy  Ghost, 
it  fiall  not  be  forgiven  Him,  neither  in  this 
Worldy  neither  in  the  World  to  come,     P.  1 63. 

SERMON     X. 

The  Cafe  of  Deceivers,  and  Deceived,  conii- 
dered. 

Eph  ES.  iv.   14. 

Hhat  We  henceforth  be  no  more  Children,  tofj'ed 
to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  ivith  every  Wind 
of  DoBrine,  by  the  Slight  of  Men,  and  cun- 
ning Craftinefs,  'whereby  T^hey  lie  in  Wait  to 
deceive.  P.  185. 

SERMON     XL 

The  Cafe  of  St.  Paul,  in  perfecuting  the 
Church. 

Acts  ix.  4,  5. 

And  He  fell  to  the  'Earth,  and  heard  a  Voice, 
faying  unto  Him  ;  Saul,  Saul,  ivhy  pcrfe- 
cutcft  Thou  Me  ^ 

And  He  faid.  Who  art  Thou,  Lord  ?  And  the 
Lord  f aid,  I  am  Jesus  ivhD?n  Tkou  perfe- 
cuteft  :  It  is  hard  for  Thee  to  kick  againft  the 
Tricks,  P.  205. 

SERMON 


The  CONTENTS.        vii 

SERMON    XII. 

Chr  ist's  Sacrifice  of  Himfelf  explained  5  and 
Man's  Duty  to  offer  Spiritual  Sacrifice  in- 
ferred, and  recommended. 

EpHEs.  V.  ij  2. 

Be  Te  therefore  Followers  of  God,  as  dear  Chil^ 

dren  ;  and  walk  in  Love,  as  Ch  r  i  s  t  alfo  hath 

loved  Us,  and  hath  given  Himfelf  for  Us,  an 

Offering  and  a  Sacrifice  to  God  for  a  Jweet- 

Jmelling  Savour,  P.  225. 

SERMON     XIII. 

The  Hiftory  and  Charader  of  Balaam. 

Numb.  xxii.  10,  11,  12. 

And'^A'LAAyi  faidunto  God,  Balak  the  Son 
of  Zip  FOR,  King  of  Moab,  hath  fent  unto 
Me  faying, 

'Behold,  there  is  a  People  come  out  of  Egypt,  which 
covereth  the  Face  of  the  Earth  :  Cotne  now, 
ciirfe  Me  'Them ;  peradve?iture  I  fhall  be  able 
to  overcome  Them,,  and  drive  Them  out. 

And  God  f aid  unto  Balaam,  Thou  Jhalt  not 
go  with  Them,  Thou  fid  alt  not  curfe  the  People : 
For  They  are  blefjed.  P.  245. 

5  E  R  M  O  N     XIV. 

The  Appearance  of  Samuel,  to  Saul  at 
En-dor. 

I  Sam. 


vj'u      The  CONTENTS. 

I  Sam.  xxviii.  15,   16,. 

And  Samuel  /aid  to  Saul,  Why  hafl  Thou 
difquieted  Me,  to  bring  Me  up  f  And  Saul 
anjhvered,  I  am  fore  difirejjed ;  and  the  Phi- 
lijiines  make  War  agaiiiji  Me,  and  God  is 
departed  from  Me,  a?id  anjwereth  Me  no  more, 
neither  by  Prophets,  nor  by  Dreams :  Therefore 
I  have  called  Thee,  that  Thou  may  eft  make  known 
unto  Me  what  I  fhall  do. 
Then  f aid  Samuel,  wherefore  then  do  ft  Thou 
^  afk  of  Me,  feeing  the  Lord  is  departed  from 
Thee,  and  is  become  thine  Enemy  f       P.  267. 

^' 
I.-  A  Summary  View  of  the  Dodrine  of  JUS- 
TIFICATION. 

II.  An  Enquiry  concerning  the  Antiquity 
of  the  Practice  of  INFANT-COM- 
MUNION, as  founded  on  the  Notion  of 
its  STRICT    NECESSITY. 


SERMON 


S  E  R  M  O  N^'-^;^^:^. 

St.  Paul's  Wifh,   'Avd^ixa  ^Tvai  d-Ko  7§^oy,^ • 
Xpi^S,  explained  and  illuftrattedvo.    '^z^"' 


^^       ^/r. 


RoM.  IX.    3, 


"^/.. 


^^Tf^^y 


*—  I  could  wijh  that  My  Self  were  ac- 
curfed  from  CHRisT^y^^r  my  Brethren^ 
myKinfmzn  according  to  the  Flejh* 

H  E  Occafion,  and  general 
Meaning  of  thefe  Words  of 
the  Apoftle,  are  obvious  e- 
nough  :  For  St.  Paul  hav- 
ing, in  the  foregoing  Chap- 
ters, taught  fome  Dod:rines 
which  He  knew  would  be  extremely  grating 
and  offenfive  to  the  Jews^  thought  it  the  more 
necefTary  to  profefs  how  warm  an  Affedion  He 
had  for  Them  all  the  while,  in  order  to  con- 
VoL.II,  A  vince 


2         St.  PaulV  PFiJh  explahted. 

vince  Them,  that  his  telling  Them  unwelcome 
Truths,  proceeded  not  from  any  Averfion  or 
Refentment  He  bore  towards  Them,  but  from 
the  Love  and  Tendernefs  He  had  for  Them,  as 
well  as  from  a  juft  Regard  to  the  Honour  of 
Almighty  God.     In   the  Words  therefore  of 
the  Text,  He  cxprefles  his  lincere  and  great 
Affetflion  for  Them,  declaring  how  much  He 
was  concerned  at  the  Spirit  of  Slumber  fallen 
upon  Them,  and  how  contentedly  He  could 
fuffer  any  Thing  (that  could  be  reafonable  for 
Him  to  fuffer)  if  He  might  but  be  any  Way 
inflrumental  in  refcuing  Them  from  the  fad 
Circumftances  They  were  in,  and  might  pro- 
cure for  Them  Pardon  and  Salvation.     I  could 
wijh  that  My  Self  were  acciirjcd  from  Christ 
for  ?jiy  Brethren,  &c„    Ve ry  a  ffe  dion ate  Words, 
ftrong  and  pathetick,  the  Langiiage,  doubtlefs, 
of  a  moil:  generous  Love,  and  a  moft  exalted 
Charity.      But   while  We  acknowledge   the 
W^armth  and  Ardency  of  his  Affeiftion,  take 
We  care  to  underftand  it  in  fuch  a  Senfe,  that 
it  may  be  rational  too  5  that  it  may  be  worthy 
of  a  wife  and  a  great  Pvlan,  yea  of  a  great  A- 
poflle,  and  Him  condudted  in  what  He  wrote, 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.     What  then  could 
He  mean  by  williing  Himfelf  accurfcd  from 
Ch  r  1ST  ?  Is  this  a  Sober  or  a  Chriflian  Wifli,  as 
a  it 


4?/.  Paul'j  Wijh  explained,  3 

it  founds  at  firft  hearing,  and  as  exprefs'd  in 
thefe  broad  Terms  ?  Some  Divines  of  the 
myftick  Way,  have  thought  it  reafonable  for 
a  Man  to  fubmit  HImfelf  even  to  evei:lafting 
Mifery,  to  ferve  the  Ends  of  God's  Glory, 
and  the  general  Good  of  Mankind  :  But  the 
Thought  is  fhocking,  and  the  Thing  imprac- 
ticable :  No  Man  can  do  it ;  neither  is  it  ra- 
tional, or  piouSj  either  to  fuppofe,  that  God 
could  admit  of  fo  abfurd  a  Thing,  or  be  plcas'd 
with  a  Wifh  fo  wild  and  extravagant*  The 
more  judicious  Divines  therefore,  being  fenfi- 
ble  of  this,  while  they  have  underftood  St. 
Paul's  Words  of  the  Curfe  ever  lofting^  yet  have 
had  recourfe  to  Figure  in  the  other  Parts,  and 
call'd  it,  upon  the  whole,  a  ftrong  Hyperboli- 
cal Expreffion,  fuch  as  ought  not  to  be  rigour- 
oufly  interpreted  up  to  the  Letter. 

But  ftill  there  may  be  a  third  Way  thought 
on,  better  than  Either  of  the  Former;  which 
is  to  examine  ftridly  into  the  Original  Greek, 
whether  it  may  not  juflly  bear  a  milder  and 
lefs  exceptionable  Rendring.  It  is  obfervable, 
that  the  Words,  'AvoS-^^a  iTvcti^  which  We  ren- 
der by  accurfed,  often  fignify  no  more  than 
being  devoted  to  temporal  Death,  or  beinp^  made  a 
Sacrifice  o^:  And  theV/ordsayroT^Xp«ry,which 
We  render  yri?;«  Christ,    may  fignify  ^^r 

Vol.  II.  A  2  Christ, 


4        Sl  Pavls  Wijh  explained, 

Christ,  that  is,  2.ix.tx\S\t Example  of  Christ. 
Let  the  whole  Sentence  then  run  thus ;  I  could 
be  content^  nay  I  (hould  rejoyce,  to  be  made  a 
Sacrifice  My  Self^  after  Christ  (or  as  Christ 
has  been  before  vat)  for  my  Brethren^  my  Kinfme?i 
accordtjig  to  the  Flejh.  The  Greek  Words  [octto 
TV  XpiT^]  will  fignify <7/?^r  Christ,  as  well  as 
the  like  Phrafe  [aVo  'mpoyovuv,']  elfewhere  ufed 
by  St.  Paul,  lignifies  after  my  Forefather Sy  or 
as  my  Forefathers  have  before  Me.  /  thank 
my  God  whom  Ifervefrom  my  Forefathers^,  or 
as  my  Forefathers  have  done  before  Me.  So 
then,  the  true^  and  the  literal  Senfe  of  the  A- 
poftle  in  the  Text  is  neither  more  nor  lefs  than 
This,  that  He  wifh'd  to  be  devoted  even  to 
Deaths  for  the  eternal  Salvation  of  his  Brethren 
th^yewSy  in  like  Manner  as  Christ,  his  High 
Leader,  had  been  devoted  before  Him.  For  as 
He  taught  his  Doftrine^  fo  He  was  delirous 
alfo  to  follow  the  Example  of  his  Sufferings, 
as  far  as  He  might  be  capable  of  fo  doing. 

The  Rendring  of  the  Text  being  thus  cor^ 
re6led,  and  the  Senfe  cleared,  what  I  have 
more  to  fay  upon  it,  may  be  eafy  and  plain. 
In  the  Text,  as  now  conftrued.  Two  Things 
are  offered  to  our  ferious  and  devout  Medita- 
tion. 

h 

*  i  Tim.  i.  J. 


S^.Tav  ls  Wifl}  explained.         i^. 

I.  The  exceeding  great  Love  of  Christ,  In 
fubmitting  Himfelf  to  Death,  to  be  made 
a  Sacrifice  for  the  Salvation  of  Mankind. 

II.  The  good  Apoftle's  ardent  Zeal  and 
Defire,  to  die  in  like  Manner,  after 
Christ's  Example,  for  the  Salvation  of 
his  Brethren.  Of  thefe  two  Articles  I 
fliall  diftindly  treat  in  their  Order. 

I. 

Let  us  duly  weigh  and  conlider  the  ex- 
ceeding great  Love  of  our  Saviour  Christ, 
fhewn  in  fubmitting  Himfelf  to  Death,  to  be 
made  a  Sacrifice,  for  the  Salvation  of  Man- 
kind. The  Height  and  Depth  of  his  Love 
towards  Mankind  will  befl  appear  from  a  Con- 
fideration  of  the  Circumftances  of  that  fo  ge- 
nerous, and  fo  adorable  an  Adl  of  Loving- 
kindnefs.  Conlider  Who  it  was  that  did  it, 
l^baf  He  did,  for  Wbom,  and  for  what  Ends, 
All  thefe  Circumftances  have  their  Weight, 
and  very  much  enhance  the  Value  of  the  Thing 
done,  as  well  as  heighten  the  Obligation, 

I.  The  Per/on  who  fubmitted  to  fuffer  for 
us,  was  a  very  great  and  extraordinary  Perfon  5 
not  a  meer  Man,  not  an  Angel,  or  an  Arch- 
angel, but  infinitely  higher  {]:ill,even  the  Eter- 
nal Son  of  God  5  Who  took  Flefh  upon  Him, 
that  He  might  be  capable  of  fuffering,  bleed- 
A  3  ing. 


Q        St.  "Pau ls  l^ijh  explained^ 

ing,  and  dying  for  Us.  Here  lies  the  particu^ 
lar  Strefs  and  Emphafis  of  the  Thing,  accor- 
ding to  the  Scripture- Account  of  it  j  that  God 
fent  fo  great,  fo  dear,  and  fo  divine  a  Perfon 
to  die  for  us.  For  God  Jo  loved  the  Worlds  that 
he  gave  his  only -begotten  Son  ^.  In  'This  was  ma- 
nifefied  the  hove  of  God  towards  Us,  becanfe,  that 
Godjent  his  Qnly-hegotten  Son  into  the  Worlds  &c.^ 
The  Majefty  and  Greatnefs  of  the  Perfon  fent, 
heightens  the  Favour,  and  indears  it  to  Us ;  as 
it  is  the  greater  Condefcenfion  in  Him,  and 
does  the  greater  Honour  to  Us.  St.  Paul 
exprelTes  the  v^^hole  Thing  in  very  jftrong  and 
lively  Terms,  thus  :  Who  beiiig  in  the  Form  of 
God,  thought  it  not  Robbery  to  be  equal  with  God-, 
but,  neverthelefs,  made  Himfelfof  no  Reputation, 
and  took  upon  Him  the  Form  of  a  Servant,  and  fo 
one.  See  v/hat  an  Emphafis  is  here  laid  upon 
the  Dignity  of  the  Perfon  doing  it.  He  was 
one  that  had  the  Form,  the  Majcfly  of  God, 
and  had  a  Right  to  be  revered,  honoured,  and 
adored  as  God ;  and  yet  He  fubmitted  to  ber 
come  a  Seryant,  by  taking  upon  Him  the  Na- 
ture of  Man,  and  in  that  Nature  He  died. 
Wonderful  Condefcenfion,  and  moft  difmter- 
efted  Love,  fuch  as  no  inferior  Perfon  could 
have  fhown  towards  Us  !  Had  the  higheft  An- 
gel 

*  John  iji.  1 6.        **  i  John  iv,  9.       ^  Phil.  il.  6,  7. 


-5V.  P  A  u  l'^  Wijh  explained.        7 

gel  or  Archangel,  had  the  brighteft  Cherub  or 
Seraph  done  it,  the  Kindnefs  had  been  No- 
thing in  Comparifon  j  becaufe  They  are  All 
Creatures  of  God,  infinitely  fliort  of  the  Dig- 
nity of  the  Son  of  God  :  And  however  great 
They  are,  They  are  yet  capable  of  being  made 
greater,  and  of  receiving  frefli  Honour  and 
Dignity  as  a  Reward  for  Well-doing ;  fp  that 
Their  ferving  Us,  would  have  been  at  the  fame 
Time  fervingThemfelves.  But  the  Eternal  Son 
of  God  was  fo  High  and  fo  Divine  in  Himfelf, 
that  He  was  above  being  promoted  higher  : 
He  could  have  no  Intereft  of  his  Own  to  ferve, 
no  Ambition  of  his  Own  to  gratify,  in  What 
He  did  :  It  was  all  done  purely  for  Our  Be- 
nefit ;  was  perfectly  free  and  generous,  fuch  as 
No  Creature  whatever  could  have  fhown  to- 
wards Us.  In  a  word,  his  Kindnpfs  excelled 
all  that  ever  was  done  by  created  Beings,  as 
much  as  the  Dignity  of  his  Perfon  excelled 
Theirs ;  and  that  is.  infinitely. 

2. -Next,  let  us  confider  What  He  did,  as 
well  as  Who  did  it,  to  give  Us  the  more  lively 
and  afifeding  Idea  of  his  Love  towards  Us.  He 
made  Himfelf  of  no  Reputation^  fays  the  Apoflle, 
took  upon  him  the  Form  of  a  Servant,  and  was 
made  in  the  Likenefs  of  Men  :  That  is  to  fay,  He 
veil'd  his  Glories,  He  drew  a  Curtain  (as  it 
A  4  were) 


$        St.  PaulV  Wifi  explained. 

were)  over  his  high  and  adorable  Godhead, 
c^ondefcending  to  take  Part  v/ith  frail  Morta- 
lity, and  to  converfe  with  Dull:  and  Afhes, 
But  This  was  not  all  ;    For  the  Apoflle  goes 
on  ;   Being  found  in  Fafoion  as  a  Man^  He  hum- 
bled  Himfelf,  yet  farther,  and  became  obedient  to 
Death^  to  the  moft  painful  and  ignominious 
Death,  even  the  Death  of  the  Crofs^,    This  was 
defcending,  as  it  were,  from  the  highefl  Pin- 
nacle of  Glory,  to  the  loweft  Circumflances 
of  Difgrace,     For  Crucifixion  was  a  Punifh- 
ment  inflidled  by  the  Romans  upon  Slaves  only 
and  Fugitives,  and  was  look'd  upon  as  the 
moft  fhameful  of  all  their  Ways  of  difpatch- 
ing  Criminals.    Befides  which,  It  is  to  be  con^, 
fidered^  that,  according  to  the  Maxim  of  the 
Jewip  Law,  He  that  is  hanged  is  accurfed  oj 
God^^  which  is  the  Text  that  St.  Paul  refers 
to,  where  He  rays,CH  r  i  st  hath  redeemedUsfrom 
the  Curfe  of  the  Law^  bei'ng  made  a  Curfe  for  Us  ', 
For  it  is  written,  Ciirfed  is  Every  One  that  hang- 
eth  en  a  Tree  ^.    He  was  made  a  Curje  for  Us,  in 
the  fame  Scnfe  as  He  was  made  Sin  for  Us^^ 
and  as  St.  Pe  T  E  R  expref]es  it,  bare  our  Sins  in  his 
own  Body  on  the  Tree^.  That  is  to  fay.  He  flood 
in  the  Place  of  Sinners,  and  was  contented  to 

fuffer 

«  Phi]  li.  7,  ?.  «*  2  Cor.  V.  21. 

^  Dei.t.  xxi   25.  '   3  Pet.  ii.  24. 

c  Gal.  iii.  15. 


St.  VhVhs  Wijh  explained.        g 

fuffer  in  their  Stead,  and  to  be  treated  in  fuch 
Manner  as  They  ought  to  have  been  treated, 
or  as  their  Sins  had  deferved.  This  was  an 
Inftance  of  exceeding  great  Love  and  Condef- 
cenfion,  fubmitting  to  appear  as  a  Criminal, 
and  to  take  upon  Him  all  the  Shame,  and  O- 
dium,  and  Ignominy  that  belong  to  Sinners, 
the'  He  had  no  Sins  of  his  Own.  He  was  con- 
tent to  be  accurfedy  in  a  certain  Senfe,  that  is, 
to  be  devoted  to  Death,  and  to  bear  the  Puni£h- 
jnent  of  Sin,  which  Sin  had  the  Curfe  of  God 
attending  it ;  a  Curfe,  which  Ch  r  i  s  t  alone  was 
able  to  take  off.  The  Sins  of  the  whole  World 
were  laid  upon  Him  :  He  bare  them,  and  took 
them  upon  Himfelf,  fuffering  and  dying  for 
them ;  fo  great  was  his  Condefcenfion,  fo  won^ 
derful  his  Love  towards  Mankind.  And  this 
reminds  Us, 

3.  Of  another  Circumftance  in  this  Affair, 
the  Perfons  for  Whom  He  died ;  not  for  the 
Well-deferving,  or  Innocent,  but  iox  Sinners, 
and  Sinners  againft  Himfelf.  St.  Paul  takes 
particular  Notice  of  this  Circumftance  alfo, 
making  Ufe  of  it  as  a  proper  Confideration  for 
the  magnifying  and  illuftrating  the  Love  of 
Christ.  Scarcely  for  a  righteous  (or  j  uft)  Man 
will  One  die :  yet  peradventure  for  a  good  Man 
SQnie  'wqidd  even  dare  to  die  :  But  God  commend-. 

J  etb 


10        Si.  Pav ls Wijh  explained. 

eth  his  hove  towards  Us,  in  that  While  IVe  ivere 
yet  Sinners,  Christ  died  for  Us  a.  As  much  as 
to  fay,  that  It  is  a  very  rare  Thing,  that  Any 
One  fhould  die  for  the  fake  of  an  honefi:,  or 
}ufl  Man  J  and  not  very  common  to  do  it, 
even  for  a  kind  and  moft  obhging  Friend  :  But 
to  be  content  to  die  for  Thofe  Who  were  nei- 
ther kind,  nor  juji,  but  the  contrary  ;  to  die 
for  Sinners  and  Rebels,  This  is  a  Height  of  Ge- 
nerofity  beyond  the  common  Meafures,  is 
without  Precedent,  and  above  allComparifon. 
Such  was  theLove  of  Ch  R  i  st  towardsMankind, 
Who  had  deferved  no  fuch  Favour  at  his  Hands, 
having  rebelled  againft  Him,  and  aclcd  in  Op- 
pofition  to  Him/  Greater  Love  hath  No  Man  than 
This,  that  a  Man  lay  down  his  Life  for  his  Friend^, 
But  our  Lord's  Love  was  vaftly  greater,  that 
He  laid  down  his  Life  even  for  his  Enefmes» 
— When  We  were  Enemies,  We  were  reconciled  to 
God  by  the  Death  of  his  Son  ^.  Thefiififufferedfor 
theUnjuft,  asSt.Ps  t  e  R  obferves^^;  which  is  fuch 
an  Inftance  of  generous  Love,  as  no  Hiftory 
can  parallel,  nor  any  human  Thought  or  Ima- 
gination reach  up  to. 

4.  But  there  is  a  further  Confideration,v>'hich 
enhances  the  Value  of  it,  and  ftill  more  abun- 
dantly endears  it  to  Us  -,  which  is,  the  End  and 

Def.gn 

•Rom.  V.  7,8.     ''John  XV.  13.     «Rcm.  v.  to.    <*  i  Tet.iii.  18. 


iSV.  P  A  u  l'^  Wijh  explained,         i  i 

Defign  of  it,  and  the  happy  Confequences 
which  it  is  directed  to,  and  aims  at.  It  is  not 
barely  to  refcue  Mankind  from  Punifhment, 
and  from  eternal  Mifery,  but  It  is  to  exalt 
Them  to  the  highefl  and  moft  defirable  Privi- 
leges J  and  to  confer  upon  Them  everlafting 
Life,  Glory,  and  Happinefs.  In  This  was  ma^ 
nifefted  the  Love  of  God  towards  Us,  becaufe  that 
God  fent  his  only  begotten  ^on  into  the  World,  that 
We  might  live  through  Him  \  But  in  another 
Place,  St.  John  is  yet  more  exprellive  and  em- 
phatical,  in  thefe  Words :  God  fo  loved  the 
World,  that  He  gave  his  only  begottsn  Son,  that 
Whojoever  helieveth  in  Him,  Jhould  not  perijh,  but 
have  everlafting Life^.  So  then  every  Way, and 
in  every  Light,  the  Love  of  Christ  towards 
Us  is  very  apparent,  and  is  beyond  all  Parallel. 
The  eternal  Son  of  God,  equal  with  God, 
vouchfafed  to  humble  Himfelf,  to  fufFer,  bleed 
and  die,  for  Sinners,  in  Order  to  purchafe  for 
Them,  not  Pardon  only,  but  Rewards,  great 
and  everlafting  Rewards  in  the  highefl  Hea- 
vens. Having  thus  endeavoured,  however  im- 
perfedly,  to  fet  forth  the  exceeding  great  Love 
of  Christ  in  dying  for  Us,  Inowpafs  on  to 
the  Second  Article  contained  alfo  in  the  Text  j 

n. 

"  I  John  iv.  9,  ^  John  iii,  16. 


12        aSV.  P  A  u  Ls  Wtjh  explained^ 

II. 

The  good  Apoftle's  ardent  Zeal,  and  De- 
iirc,  to  die  in  like  Manner,  and  after  Christ's 
Example,  for  the  Salvation  of  his  Brethren. 
I  could  wiJJo  that  My  Self  were  accurfed  from  (or, 
after)  Christ  ;  that  is,  as  Christ  was  before 
yi^^for  my  Brethren^  &c.  We  are  not  to  fuppofe, 
that  the  Apoftle  had  a  Thought  of  coming  up, 
in  any  perfecft  Meafure,  to  the  great  Example 
fet  by  our  BlefTed  Lord :  But  He  was  wiUing 
and  defirous  to  copy  after  Him,  in  fuch  Mea- 
fure and  Degree  as  He  was  capable  of,  and  to 
follow  his  Pattern  as  far  as  He  was  able,  by  an 
humble  and  awful  Imitation  of  Him.  He 
very  well  knew,  that  one  great  Ufe  among 
others,  of  our  Lord's  Sufferings,  w^as,  to  in- 
ftruv5l  and  ftir  us  up  to  follow  the  Example. 
This  is  the  Ufe  which  St. Paul  points  to,where 
He  fays.  Let  this  Mind  be  in  You,  which  was  aU 
/S  /«  Christ  Jesus  ;  TVho  being  iii  the  Form  of 
Gody  and  fo  on  =*.  St.  John,  the  beloved  Difci- 
ple,  is  very  exprefs  and  particular,in  fetting  forth 
the  Love  of  Christ,  as  an  Example  and  Pat- 
tern for  our  Imitation.  Hereby  perceive  We  the 
Love  ofGodJjecaiife  He  laid  down  his  Life  for  Us: 
j^fid  We  (in  Conformity)  ought  to  lay  down  Our 
X^ivesfor  the  Brethren  *>.  Obferve,  It  is  not  here 
faid,  for  Enemies^  for  FerfecutorSj  but  for  the 

Brethre?2, 

*  Phi!  ii.  5,  6.  *  1  John  iii.  J  6, 


St,  P  A  u  hs  Wijh  explained,        1 3 

Brethren.  I  know  not  whether  St.  Paul's  Ex- 
ample, in  the  Text,  did  not  go  beyond  What 
St.  John  here  mentions  as  the  bounden  Duty  of 
Every  common  Chriftian.  It  (hould  feem  by 
the  emphatical  Manner  of  Expreffion,  which 
St.  Paul  made  Ufe  of,  that  He  himfelf  thought 
it  no  ordinary  Degree  of  Affection,  no  com^ 
mon  Proteftation,  Icouldwifi  that  My  Selfis^re 
accurfed^  and  fo  on.  And  indeed  the  ver^ 
Nature  of  the  Thing  fhews,  that  it  was  not. 
For  the  Perfons  for  whofe  fake  He  was  fo  very 
willing  to  die  the  Death,  were  not  his  particular 
Friends,  no  nor  fo  much  as  Chriftian  Brethren: 
His  Brethren  They  had  been,  and  They  werp 
now  harden'd  and  obftinate  'Jeisoi,  Whom 
He  had  deferted,  and  Whom  God  had  aban- 
doned, and  Who  were  St.PAUL's  bittereft  Ene- 
mies, and  as  great  Enemies  to  the  Gofpel  j  yet 
fuch  was  his  Affection  even  for  Them,  fucli 
his  friendly  Difpofition  towards  Them,  tliat 
He  could  have  been  content,  yea  glad,  to  have 
been  7nade  a  Curfe^  that  is,  to  have yi/^r^^  any 
the  moft  painful  and  ignominious  Deaths  to 
do  Them  Service ;  to  avert  their  Mifery,  and 
to  promote  their  true  Happinefs.  This  was 
noble  and  generous,  as  well  as  charitable ; 
was  an  Inftance  of  Heroick  Love,  much  re- 
fembling  our  Bleffed  Saviour's^   being  almofl 

above 


14         St,  Paul'j  TFiJh  explained, 

above  human,  and  coming  as  near  to  diving, 
asFlefli  and  Blood  was  capable  of  doing .  There 
is  one  more  Inftance  of  like  Kind  in  holy  Scri- 
pture, and  but  one,  that  belonged  to  meer 
Man :  It  was  of  a  very  great  Prophet,  Law- 
giver, and  Saint ;  I  mean  Moses,  the  meekeft 
Man  then  upon  Earth.  When  the  Ifraelites 
had  grievoully  affronted  Him,  and  offended 
God  as  much,  by  making  the  Golden  Calf, 
yet  then  (as  it  were  forgiving  and  forgetting 
all  their  Rudenefs  towards  Him)  He  begged  to 
be  Himfelf  blotted  out  of  the  Book  of  Life, 
rather  than  the  People  fhould  fuffer  Extremi- 
ties. T^et  now,  if  thou  wilt  (fays  He  in  his 
Prayer  to  God),  forgive  their  Sin  y  or  if  not^ 
blot  Me,  I  pray  Thee,  out  of  thy  Book  which  Thou 
hajl  written  *.  Blotting  out  of  God's  Book  is 
of  the  fame  Importance  with  blotting  out  one's 
Name  from  under  Heaven^,  Which  is  an  Ex* 
preffion  fignifying  temporal  Death  and  De^ 
flrudion.  Accordingly,  Moses  defired  to  die, 
or  to  be  deftroyed  Himfelf,  from  off  the  Land 
of  the  Living,  rather  than  live  to  fee  his  Na- 
tion perifh,  his  People  fuffer,  however  juftly 
They  had  deferved  it.  Thatlnffance  of  Mo- 
ses, though  very  like  This  of  St.  Paul,  yet 
does  not  fully  come  up  to  it ;  becaufe  Moses 

was 

*  Exod.  xxxii.  32.         .    "^  Deut.  IX.  14. 


<5V.  P  A  u  hs  Wijh  explained,        1 5 

was  more  nearly  related  to  the  Ifraelifes  of  that 
Time,  and  had  a  clofer  Intereft  and  Concern 
with  Them,  than  St.PAUL  could  have  with  the 
Jews  of  his  Time,  whofe  Religion  and  Party 
He  had  left  for  the  Chriftian  Church.    How- 
ever, both  thofe  Inftances  are  very  admirable, 
and  come  the  nearefl  to  the  Divine  Pattern  fet 
by  our  Lord,  of  any  We  fhall  meet  with.    The 
Ule  which  We  are  to  make  of  all  thefe  In- 
ilances,  or  Examples,  is  to  learn  to  put  on 
Tendernefs  and  Compaflion  towards  All  Men ; 
and  even  towards  Thofe  Who  are  not  of  our 
Society,  Profeffion,  Religion,  or  Party  5   thofe 
who  have  no  Refped;  for  Us,  or  are  even  pre- 
judiced againfl:  Us.    There  is  a  Degree  of  Pity 
and  Regard  due  even  to  very  ill  Men,  to  Un- 
godly, and  Sinners  :  Not  to  be  fliown  by  ca- 
reffing  Them,  and  fmiling  upon  Them,  but  by 
earneft  and  ardent  Endeavours  to  reclaim  Them. 
It  is  afflid:ing  to  a  good  Man  to  obferve  how 
Sinners  run  headlong  on  to  their  own  Ruin  : 
And  though  it  may  be  faid,  that  They  deferve 
the  lefs  Pity  becaufe  it  is  their  own  Fault,  and 
They  choofe  to  do  fo ;  yet  there  is  fomething 
really  pitiable  in  that  Depravity  of  Will,  and 
Blindnefs  of  Heart,  which  drives  Them  on  to 
make  fuch  ill  Choices.     There  is  not  a  more 
forlorn  and  miferable  Wretch  under  Heaven, 

than 


1 6       &.  P  A  u  LS  JViJh  explained^ 

than  an  over-grown  Sinner,  become  mad,  de*^ 
fperate,  and  incurable  in  his  Sins.  For,  though 
fuch  Perfons  regard  neither  God  nor  Man,  nor 
Jiave  any  Mercy  or  Tenderncfs  for  Friend  ot 
Brother,  but  would  go  any  Lengths  in  Mif- 
chief,  and  fet  the  World  on  Fire  (if  it  lay  in 
their  Power);  yet  We  very  well  know,  all  the 
while,  that  They  are  weak  and  impotent,  are 
under  Bridle  and  Reftraint,  and  muft  wait  for 
God*s  Leave  before  They  can  do  any  Things 
The  utmoft  They  can  do,  is  only  to  afflidl  and 
torment  good  Men  for  a  Time  here,  while 
They  Themfelves  lie  expofed  to  eternal  Venge- 
ance, to  Torments  everlafting  hereafter.  This 
Confideration  may  fometimes  move  a  good 
Man's  Pity  and  tender  Compaffion,  as  was 
St. Paul's  Cafe  in  the  Text,  while  He  lament- 
ed over  the  hardened  Jews^  his  Adverfaries 
and  Perfecutors,  and  would  have  wiflied  even 
Himfelf  to  die  a  thoufand  Deaths  for  Them, 
fo  He  might  but  reform  and  fave  Them.  This 
affed:ionate  Temper  of  Mind,  this  benevolent 
Difpofition  towards  All  Men,  is  What  the  Text 
recommends  to  Us  in  tv/o  Examples,  One  of 
our  Bleffed  Lord  himfelf,  and  the  Other  of 
our  Lord's  Apoflle.  Learn  We  from  Both  to 
be  kind,  friendly,  and  compaffionate  One  to- 
wards Another,  and  to  have  a  true  Value  and 

Concern 


S^.  PaulV  ^ijb  explained.         17 

Concern  both  for  the  Bodies  and  the  Souls  of 
Men.  We  {hall  find  Matter  enough  for  our 
Exercife  and  Improvement  in  this  heavenly 
Difpofition,  and  fhall  have  Occafions,  more 
than  One  would  wifli,  to  excite  Us  to  it  j  for 
Sin  and  Wickednefs  abound  daily.  Evil  Men 
and  Seducers  wax  worfe  and  worfe,  deceiving  and 
being  deceived^.  But  let  it  be  Our  Care,  in  the 
firft  Place,  to  continue  ftedfaft  in  the  Things 
that  We  have  learned,  knov^^ing  of  Whom  We 
have  learned  them :  And  in  the  next  Place,  to 
do  our  beft  to  convince,  and  reclaim  Sinners 
from  their  evil  Ways,  to  fave  their  Souls  frorri 
Death,  and  thereby  to  bring  Glory  to  Almigh^ 
ty  God,  and  to  make  Joy  in  Heayen  over  Ev?» 
ry  §inner  fo  repenting. 

>?  Tim.  iii.  13, 


V91..  II.  &  SERMON 


SERMON    II. 

A  Sinlefs  PerfeSiion  and  Security  of  Sal- 
vation^ no  Prerogative  of  a  Regene-^ 
rate  State, 

I  John  iii.  9,  10. 

Whofoever  is  born  of  God^  doth  not  co?n- 
mitSin^for  his  Seed re?naineth  in  Him-:, 
and  He  cannot  Jin^  hecaufeHe  is  born  of 
God,  In  this  the  Children  of  God  ar& 
manifefl^  and  the  Children  of  the  De- 
vil: Whofoever  doeth  not  Righteoufnefsy 
is  not  of  God^  neither  He  that  loveth 
not  his  Brother* 

O  R  the  right  underflanding  of 
thefe  Words,  it  will  be  proper 
to  note  fomething  of  the  Occa- 
fion  and  De%n  of  them,  io  far 
as  may  be  probably  learned  from 
Church-Hiftory.     The  Apoftle  had  faid  but 


Vol.  II, 


B  2 


two 


^o    Sinlefs  PerfeSiion  no  Prerogative 

two  Verfes  before,  Little  Children,  let  no  Man 
deceive  you :  He  that  doth  Righteoujhefs  is  righ- 
teous, even  as  He  [that  is,  Chr  ist]  is  righteous. 
It  feems,  there  were  fome  at  that  Time  of 
Day,  who  prefumed  to  think  Themfelves  righ- 
teous^  and  borh  of  God,  without  the  Fra6lice  of 
Holinefs  j  and  They  had  endeavoured  to  feduce 
Others  into  that  ftrange  and  abfurd,  or  rather 
wicked,  Perfwaiion.  Therefore  faid  the  Apo- 
ftle,  to  his  own  Converts,  or  Followers,  Lit- 
tle Children,  let  no  Man  deceive  you ,  that  is  to 
fay,  by  fair  Speeches,  plaulible  Inliriuations,  or 
falfe  Colourings.  Thofe  Deceivers^  probably, 
were  fome  Difciples  of  Simon  Magus: 
For  That  Impoftor  had  taught,  that  Men  are 
faved  by  Grace  only,  without  any  Regard  to 
good  Works  *.  As  if  Gofpel-Righteoufnefs  were  no 
neceflary  Condition  for  the  enjoying  Gofpel-Pri^ 
vileges ;  or  as  if  Men  might  be  born  of  God^ 
and  become  Heirs  of  Salvation,  independent 
of  Chriftian  Holinefs,  though  Scripture  is  ex- 
prefs,  that  without  Holinefs  no  Man  pall  fee  the 
Lord  ^.  In  Oppofition  to  fuch  dangerous  Prin- 
ciples, the  good  Apoflle  afferts,  and  ftrongly 
inculcates,  theNecelTity  of  2. pure  Hearty  and 
hifrf  to  denominate  any  Perfon  good,  and  to 

entitle 

'  Irsn.  1.  I,  c.  20,     7heodarit.  Haret.  Fab.  1.  I.  C.  1.    Graht 
Annot,  ad  BuIL  Harm.  Apoft.  p.  13,  33.     Exam.  cen.  p.  5. 
•*  Het,  xii.  J 4. 


of  a  Regenerate  State*  21 

entitle  Him  to  the  Privileges  of  Chriflian  Son- 
fhip.  Whofoever  is  born  of  God,  doth  not  com- 
mit Sin  :  And  a  little  after,  Whofoever  doeth 
not  Right eoufnefs,  is  not  of  God,  He  fixes  the 
Point  both  Ways,  to  inforce  it  the  more  ftrono-- 
ly  :  If  a  Perfon  is  of  God,  He  will  of  courfe 
abllain  from  the  Pradice  of  Sin  :  Or,  if  He 
does  not,  befides,  prsidiife  Righteoufnefs,  perform- 
ing his  bounden  Duty,  He  is  not  of  God,  but  is 
a  Child  of  the  Devil.  Words  fo  full,  and  fo 
exprefs,  as  to  bear  no  Difpute,  nor  to  admit 
of  Evafion.  In  difcourfing  farther,  I  fliall  en- 
deavour to  flate  and  clear  the  Particulars  here 
following : 

I.  To  fhew,  negatively,  what  the  Text  does 
not  mean, 

II.  To  fhew,  pofitively,  what  its  true  2^\^full 
Meaning  is. 

III.  To  point  Qut  the  Pra^ical  Ufc  and  Im- 
provement of  the  whole, 

I. 
I  fhall  endeavQur  to  fhew,  negatively,  what 
the  Text  dqes  not  mean,  in  Order  to  prevent 
Scruples,  and  to  obviate  Mifconflrudlions. 

I.  The  Text  mofl  undoubtedly  concerns 
Grown  Perfons,  and  does  not  directly  concern 
Infants.  Infants  are  not  capable  of  doing  Righ- 
teoufpefs,  though  capable  of  being  born  of  God 

B  ^  in 


22    Sinlefs  PerfeEiion  no  Prerogative 

in  Baptifm :  They  preferve  that  regenerate 
3tate,  once  entered  into,  'till  They  become 
guilty  of  aBual^  and  grievous  Sin.  Of  This 
thepc  can  be  no  Difpute  :  They  21^  jujiified  at 
the  fame  Time  that  They  are  regenerated^  and 
are  therefore  righteous  in  God's  fight ;  and  ac- 
cordingly They  are  iiiterpretatively  included  in 
St.  John's  Rule,  though  not  fpeci ally  confider- 
ed  by  Him.  The  Gain-Sayers,  whom  He  op-r 
pofed,  pretended  that  even  Grown  Perfons,  not 
praftifmg  Righteoufnefs,  but  living  under  the 
Dominion  of  Sin,  v^ere  in  a  State  of  Salvation 
notwithftanding.  That  was  the  Dodlrine  which 
the  Apoftle  here  laboured  to  correct  :  Infants 
were  no  Way  concerned  in  it,  and  fo  there  was 
no  need  to  make  an  Exception  for  Their  Cafe. 
2.  I  muft  further  obferve,  that  the  Text 
does  not  mean  to  exclude  any  Perfons  from 
Salvation,  who  are  really  "Penitent^  or  whofe 
Hearts  are  really  chaftged,  or  renewed^  and  on- 
ly want  Time  to  bring  forth  the  Fruit  of  good 
Works;  Such,  for  inllance,  as  the  Penitent 
Thief  upon  the  Crofs.  Indeed,  Good  Works 
are  juftly  interpreted  to  mean  either  inward,  or 
outward  Works.  There  are  the  //7ic'^r^ Works 
of  fincere  Faith,  humble  Contrition,  Detefia-^ 
tion  of  Sin,  T^ruji  in  the  divine  Mercy,  firm 
Reliance  on  the  Merits  of  Christ,  together 

with 


of  a  Regenerate  State,  23 

with  cordial  Refolutions  of  a  thorough  Amend- 
ment :  Works  of  this  Kind  tranfadted  within^ 
if  fuch  a  Perfon  fhould  be  fuddenly  taken  ofF, 
will  be  interpreted  as  Works  of  Righteoufnefs^ 
by  God  who  knows  the  Heart.  Therefore  This 
alfo  is  a  Cafe  which  falls  within  the  Equity, 
or  even  the  Letter  of  the  Apoftle's  Rule,  'O 
Tloiaiv  tZm)  AiKociooa-DvLujj  He  that  doeth  Right eouf- 
nefs,  or  He  that  makes  Righteoufnefs,  be  it 
outwardly  or  inwardly^  He  is  righteous.  The 
Falfe  Teachers,  Whom  the  Apoftle  here  oppo- 
fed,  required  neither  oz//'K;^r^  nor  inward  Righ- 
teoufnefs, but  promifed  Salvation  to  their  de- 
luded Hearers,  without  Regard  to  Either,  in- 
dependent of  Both  alike.  Therefore  St.  John's 
Rule  may  reafonably  be  underftood  with  a  ta- 
cite  Exception  to  the  Cafe  of  inward  Righte- 
oufnefs, which  had  Nothing  to  do  with  the 
main  Queftion  then  in  Hand  :  For,  the  Que- 
llion  was  not  about  dying  Penitents,  but  about 
Perfons  living  in  Impenitency,  and  under  the 
Dominion  of  Sin. 

3.  I  muil:  add,  thirdly,  that  the  Text  does 
not  mean  to  exclude  All  that  are  in  any  De- 
gree Sinners^  from  a  State  of  Salvation ;  for  in 
fome  Senfe  All  Men  are  Sinners  ;  and  the  fame 
Apoftle,  in  the  fame  Epiftle,  fays.  If  We  fay 
that  We  have  no  Sin,  We  deceive  Our  Selves y  and 

B  4  the 


24    ^inlefs  P^rfeElion  no  Prerogative 

the  Truth  is  not  in  Us  ^ .  And  if  We  fay  ^t  hat  We  havf 
notjinned^^  make  Christy  hiar^  and  his  Word 
is  tiot  in  Us  b.  St. John  does  not  fay,  that  God's 
Children  have  no  Sin,  but  that  They  do  not  coin- 
tnit  Sin.  The  Phrafes  are  fomewhat  alike ^ 
but  they  arp  no^  the  fame ;  neither  do  they 
bear  the  fame  Signification,  but  widely  differ- 
ent, To  have  no  Sin  means  to  be  altogether 
^inlefs,  from  firfl:  to  lait  -,  which  No  mere  Man 
ever  was,  or  will  be  :  But  not  to  commit  Sin^ 
or  not  to  make  Sin,  not  to  be  a  Sin-Maker,  m 
this  Place  means  only,  the  forbearing  to  fin 
with  an  high  Hand,  or  abflaining  from  the 
grievous  and  prefumptuous  Kind  of  Sins.  The 
Children  of  God,  as  fach,  are  not  altogether 
Sinlejs;  but  if  They  have  formerly  fmned  in  any 
grievous  Manner,  They  are  truly  Penitent,  and 
They  do  fp  no  more  ;  and  the  Sins  which  They 
remain  yet  fubjedt  to,  are  Sins  of  Infirmity^ 
fuch  as  All  are  in  fome  Degree  Hable  to,  and 
fi-ich  as  are  not  imputed  under  a  Covenant  of 
Grace.  This  Difl:in(5tion  of  Sins,  into  Sins  qf 
Prefumption,  s.nd  S'msof  Iff rmity,  (otherwife 
called  Sins  of  Daily  Incurfion)  is  an  old  Diflintli- 
pn  in  the  Church,  and  is  abundantly  warrant- 
ed by  many  Scripture-Texts,  which  I  need  not 
here  mention.    It  is  fufficjent  to  have  obferv- 

*  I  John  i.  8.  b  J  jojin  \  ,p^ 


ej  a  Regenerate  State*  2  j 

ed,  that  the  Apoflle  is  here  to  be  explained  by 
that  Diftindion  ;  for  it  is  certain  and  mani- 
feft,  that  He  did  not  mean  to  teach  that  the 
Children  of  God,  as  fuch,  are,  or  can  be,  al- 
together without  Sin,  like  as  our  BlefTed  Lord 
Himfelf  was.  There  is  No  mere  Man  that  Jin" 
neth  not ».  There  is  not  a  perfedly  juji  Man 
upon  Earth,  that  doeth  good,  a?idjinneth  not\ 
For,  in  many  Things  We  offend  All^,  Which  is 
chiefly  to  be  underflood  of  our  many  OmiJJions 
and  Failures  of  Duty,  through  unavoidable  Ig-^ 
norance,  or  Infirmity,  either  forgetting  and 
overlooking  fome  Articles  of  Duty,  or  not 
performing  them  w^ith  all  that  Care  and  Ex- 
adnefs  which  might  have  been  ufed  by  Us. 
Jut  I  proceed. 

jr. 

Having  obferved  to  you,  negatively,  what 
the  Dodrine  of  the  Text  does  not  mean,  I  am 
next  to  fhew,  pofitively,  what  it  does  mean.  The 
true  and  full  Meaning  is.  That  the  Children  of 
God,  confidered  as  Such,  do,  by  the  Affiflancc 
of  God's  Grace  pr.efent  with  Them,  lead  a  good 
Life,  difcharging  every  Duty  incumbent  upon 
Them,  with  a  confcientious  Care  to  the  utmofi 
of  their  Ability,  and  abftaining  from  prefmnp- 
tuous  and  damning  Tranfgreffions,  Such  were 
Zacharias  and  Elisabeth,  of  Whom  It 

is 

*  I  Kings  viii,  46,  2  Chron»        *>Ecclef.  vji.  20. 
yi.  36.  '        « janies  iii.  z. 


26    Sinlefs  PerfeSiion  no  Prerogative 

is  recorded  by  St. Luke,  that  They  were  Both 
righteous  before  God^  walking  in  all  the  Command- 
ments  and  Ordinajices  of  the  Lord^  blamelefs^. 
That  is  to  fay,  They  lived  in  fo  holy,  and  fo 
exemplary  a  Manner,  as  to  be  both  acceptable 
to  Gody  and  approved  of  Men,  in  St.  Paul's 
Phrafe,  on  another  Occaliont'  ^  or  having  always 
a  Cofifcience  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  toward 
Men  =.  Thefe  are  fuch  as  our  Lord  fpeaks  of, 
under  the  Name  oi  jiift  Perfons,  needing  no  Re- 
pentance^-, and  righteous  Perfons,  whom  He 
came  not  to  call  to  Repentance^,  that  is,  to  an 
entire  Change,  but  to  Improvement  and  Increafe 
m  Godlinefs :  Not  but  that  Repentance  belongs 
to  All  Men,  in  the  fame  Senfe  as  All  Men  are 
dinners :  But  as  Repentance,  in  a  flrivfler  Senfe, 
means  an  entire  Change  of  Heart  and  Life  to- 
wards God  5  if  a  Man's  Heart  was  before  fet 
right.  He  will  not  want  to  be  fo  changed  in 
the  main,  but  to  be  carried  on  in  the  fame 
good  Way  He  was  in,  to  higher  Perfedion. 
Now,  to  return  to  theWords  of  the  Text :  The 
Apoftle  here  fuppofes  that  the  Children  of  God 
are  righteous,  jiifl,  and  blamelefs  in  fuch  a  Senfe 
as  I  have  mention'd,  walking  in  the  Ways  of 
God,  confcientiouOy  keeping  God's  Holy  Will 

and 

*  Luke  i.  6.  ^  Liike  xv.  7. 

*»  Rom.  xiv.  18.  «  Luke  V.  32, 

<=Ad:sxxIv.  16. 


of  a  Regenerate  State*  27 

^nd  Commandments,  and  not  living  under  the 
Dominion  of  Sin,  or  the  Power  of  evil  Habits^ 
In  this  Senfe,  He  declares  that  They  do  not 
commit  Sin,  fubjoining  this  Reafon,  that  God's 
Seed  remaineth  in  Them,  therefore  They  do  not 
fm.  And  He  further  adds,  which  is  yet  a 
itronger  Expreffion,  that  They  cannot  Jin,  be- 
caufe  They  are  born  of  God.  How  cannot  f 
May  not  Regenerate  Perfons  fall  into  Sin,  or 
fall  from  Grace,  yea  and  fall  finally  ?  Yes,  cer- 
tainly They  may  :  All  the  Scripture-Exhorta- 
tions to  Perfeverance  or  Stedfaftnefs  manifefl- 
ly  fuppofe  it  -,  and  fome  Scripture-Texts  di- 
rectly teach  \t;  and  even  St.  Paul,  That  Chofen 
Yt^^X,  did  as  good  as  intimate,  that  He  might 
Himfelf  be  in  Danger  of  falling  off,  when  He 
faid ;  I  keep  under  my  Body,  and  bring  it  into 
Subjediion  -,  lefi  that  by  any  means,  when  I  have 
preached  to  Others,  I  My  Self  Jloould  be  a  Caft^ 
away  a.  How  then  muft  We  underfland  that 
the  Regenerate  cannot  fin,  cannot  fall  away  ? 
We  may  beft  underfland  the  Words  in  a  qua- 
lified Senfe,  not  fo  as  to  mean  that  They  abfo- 
lutely  cannot,  but^  that  They  cannot  without 
great  Force  and  Violence  to  their  regenerate  Na- 
ture, to  their  renewed  Frame  and  Difpofition 
of  Mind,  and  to  that  Principle  of  Grace  with- 
in 

3  I  Cor.  ix.  27, 


2S     Sifik/s  Perfe&ion  no  Prerogative 

m  Them,  which  powerfully  reflrains  Them 
from  it.  So  We  commonly  fay  ol  2i  good-?2atured 
Man,  that  He  cannot  do  an  hard  Thing  ;  or  of 
a  urell-bred  Man,  that  He  cannot  do  an  ungen-^ 
tcel  thing  :  It  would  be  a  Force  upon  his  A^^- 
tnre^  and  a  ContradiBion  to  the  Principle  upon 
which  He  commonly  a5ts  and  condudfs  Himfelf. 
In  like  Manner,  but  in  a  higher  Degree,  a  true 
Child  of  God^  or  a  /incere  Difciple  of  Christ, 
cannot  allow  Himfelf  mfinful  Cotirjes  :  His  cwn 
Heart  will  reproach  Him  warmly  if  He  does ; 
and  the  Frinciple  of  Grace  within  Him  will 
'warKi  him  back  very  ftrongly,  only  not  irre^ 

Jifiahly  :  For,  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  does  not 
fo  move  or  over-rule  our  Wills,  as  to  render 
us  mere  Machines.  Such  a  qualified  Senfe  of 
the  Words,  can  and  cannot^  is  very  common  in 
ordinary  Dif^ourfe,  and  in  all  Writings,  and 
particularly  in  the  Sacred  Writings.  I  fhali 
take  Notice  but  of  one  remarkable  Inftance, 
namely  of  Joseph,  when  tempted  to  commit 
Sin  :  How  can  /,  fays  He,  do  this  great  Wickec^ 
fiefs  J  and  fin  againft  God'?  thereby  intimating, 

•  that  He  could  not  do  it  :  He  had  more  Senfe^ 
He  had  more  Grace,  than  to  do  a  vile  Thing, 
He  had  God  before  his  Eyes  :  He  had  a  pre- 
vailing Principle  of  Religion  within  ;  He  had 

an 

«  pen.  xxxix.  9. 


x)f  a  Regenerate  StaU.  29 

an  honefl  and  an  upright  Heart  5  and  while 
He  had.  He  could  not  ac!!  wickedly.  In  fhort,  a 
good  Man  may  by  degrees  grow  carelefs  and  neg- 
ligentjfecure  and  thoughtlefs,  and  fo  his  Confci- 
ence  may  be  laid  afleep ;  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  thereupon  defert  Him,  and  Satan  may 
enter  in  :  But  as  foon  as  this  comes  to  be  the 
Cafe,  He  is  no  longer  the  good  Man  He  was^ 
no  longer  a  Child  of  God,  in  St.  John's  Senfe  of 
the  Name.  Therefore  the  Apoftle's  Meaning 
in  the  Text  is  no  more  than  This,  That  a  good 
Man,  as  fiich,  cannot  do  a  wicked  Thing  -  He 
muft  firft  lofe  That  Principle  of  Goodnefs,That 
Seed  of  God  fown  in  his  Heart ;  He  muft  lofe 
it,  I  fay,  by  fome  very  blameable  Negligence 
of  his  own,  before  he  can  confent  to  fin  with 
a  high  Hand  againfl;  God«  God  has  no  where 
promifed,  that  his  Spirit  ihall  abide  with  any 
Man,  any  longer  than  while  he  watches  and 
•prays.  Therefore  our  Lord  fays,  Watch  and 
pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  Temptation  ^  :  And 
again  ;  What  I  fay  unto  Tou,  I  fay  unto  J.II, 
ivatch^.  But  here,  perhaps,  Some  may  be 
bold  to  objedl  or  argue  :  How  can  a  Child  of 
God,  Who,  as  Such,  is  the  Temple  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  how  can  He  grow  carelefs,  or  negligent^ 
Will  not  That  Same  Spirit,  dwelling  in  Him, 

keep 

*  Matt.  xxvi.  41.  ^  Mark  x'm.  37, 


30    Sinlejs  PerfeBion  no  Prerogative 

keep  Him  awake  and  attentive,  exciting,  in-^ 
ftrudting,  and  affifting  Him  both  to  watch  and 
to  pray  F  For,  is  it  not  faid.  That  the  Spirit 
helpeth  our  Infirmities  ?  Are  We  not  told.  That 
We  know  not  what  We  fiould  pray  for^  as  We 
ought,  unlefs  the  Spirit  it  felf  affift  us  in  it  ^  ? 
It  is  fo  faid,  and  all  that  is  faid  is  ftridly  true  : 
But  it  is  no  where  faid,  that  the  Spirit  does 
every  Taking,  and  We  Nothing  at  all  j  for  then 
the  A(^  would  not  be  in  any  Senfe  Ours,  or 
however  not  Ours  in  fuch  a  Senfe  as  to  render 
it  Virtue  in  Us,  or  to  make  Us  capable  of  what 
is  properly  called  Reward.  The  Spirit  does 
excite.  He  does  not  compel :  He  infl:ru«fts  and 
afTifls,  He  inclines  and  moves  j  but  by  foft 
Calls  and  gentle  Whifpers,  fuch  as  may  be  re- 
fifted,  and  often  are  refifted  -,  otherwife,  how 
come  We  to  hear  o^  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God^,  and  of  quenching  the  Spirit  ^F  And  if 
the  Spirit  were  to  do  all,  and  Man  himfelf  No- 
thing, how  comes  it  that  St.  Paul  exhorts  Ti- 
mothy to fiir  up  the  Gift  of  God  which  is  inHim^  ? 
An  Eloquent  Father  of  the  Ancient  Church 
illuftrates  the  whole  Cafe  by  an  apt  and  familiar 
Comparifon :  "As  Fire  mufi:  have  Fewel  laid  on, 
*'  from  Time  to  Time,  that  it  may  have  Some- 
"  thing  to  work  upon,  and  may  not  go  out ;  fo 

*'  the 

'  Rom.  vlii.  26.  ^  1  ThefT.  v.  ig. 

^  Eph.  iv.  30.  *  2  Tira.  i.  6. 


of  a  Regenerate  State,  31 

"  the  Grace  of  God  muft  find  Submiffion  and 
"  Compliance,  Alacrity  and  Readinefs  of  Mind 
"  on  our  Part,  for  it  to  thrive  upon,  and  to 
"  keep  up  the  Holy  Flame  of  the  Spirit."  To 
fum  up  this  Matter  in  few  Words :  This  is 
certain,  that  in  th.^  Works  of  Grace ^  the  Holy 
Spirit  bears  a  principal  Part,  and  Man  a  fub- 
ordinate  one,  and  Both  concur  to  the  fame  good 
Ad: ;  fo  that  while  the  Adt  is  Ours^  the  Glory 
of  it  is  entirely  Gods,  But  it  is  not  for  Us,  to 
determine  precifely  the  exa(ft  Boundaries  of  the 
Divine  Operations,  fo  as  to  be  able  to  fay,  fo 
much  and  no  more  is  the  Spirifs  Share  in  the 
Adl,  and  fo  much  Ours.  It  is  fufficient,  that 
all  our  good  Works  are  fome  Way  or  other, 
in  fbme  Proportion  or  other,  the  Refult  of 
Grace  and  of  Free-will  together  :  And  if  Any 
Man  falls  from  That  Grace,  and  fo  falls  into 
Sin  5  the  true  Account  of  it  is,  that  while  the 
Spirit  does  all  that  divine  Wifdom  faw  proper 
in  that  Cafe,  the  Man  was  wanting  with  Refped; 
to  His  Part,  refufing  to  be  led,  or  taking  no 
Care  to  watch  and  pray  with  that  Fervour  and 
Diligence,  which  was  reafonably  expeded  of 
Him.  Thus  the  Children  of  God  may,  by  their 
own  Sloth  and  Supinenefs^  ceafe  to  be  fuch,  for 
the  Time  being,  'till  they  repent  and  recover ; 
or  for  ever,  if  They  repent  not  at  all  :  But  in 

the 


^2    Sinlefs  PerfeSlion  no  Prerogative 

the  mean  while,  SiJohn's  Do(5lrine  ftands  firm 
and  unfhaken  -,  that  God's  Children,  as  fuch^ 
or  fo  abiding^  do  not  commit  Sins  of  a  grievous 
Kind :  It  is. a  Contradidlion  to  the  very  Prin- 
ciple which  They  are  fuppoled  to  be  governed 
by,  to  fay  that  They  do.  They  may  lofe  That 
Principle,  and  thereupon  lofe  their  Sonlhip  al- 
fo  :  But  while  They  keep  it  alive  and  awake. 
They  can  no  more  ad:  againft  it,  than  a  Man. 
can  adt  in  any  other  Cafe  againft  his  prevailing 
or  predominant  Principle,  whatfoever  it  be.  If 
You  could  fuppofe  Him  to  a€t  againft  it,  It 
could  not  then  be  called,  in  That  Inftance,  his 
prevailing  or  ruling  Principle  :  For,  if  it  were, 
it  muft  have  prevailed  and  rukd^ 

III. 

Having  now  done  with  my  firft  two 
Heads,  intended  to  ftate  and  clear  St.  John*s 
Do(flrine  in  the  Text,  It  remains  now  only,  to 
point  out  the  PraBical  TJJe  and  hnprovement  of 
it,  in  fome  few  pertinent  Confiderations  built 
upon  it. 

From  hence  We  may  competently  perceive, 
upon  what  Terms  we  ftand  with  Almighty 
God,  and  what  Title  We  have  to  be  upon  the 
Lift  of  his  domeftick  Servants,  his  real  and 
faithful  Children.  True  Faith  and  Obedience 
?.re  the  Tenure  by  which  We  muft  hold  j  and 

there 


x)f  a  Rege?2£raie  State.  33 

therfi  is  no  other  Ground  whereon  We  can 
fafely  ftand.  Many  Expedients  have  been 
thought  on  whereby  to  lliift  off  Diity^  and  to 
fecure,  if  it  were  poflible,  the  Reward.  The 
Prize  of  our  High-caUing  is  great,  noble,  and 
infinitely  defirable  :  But  the  Burden  of  Duty, 
the  Reftraints  of  Obedience,  are  found  to  bear 
hard  upon  Flefh  and  Blood  i  And  how  have 
Mens  V/its  been  at  Work,  now  for  1700 
Years  together,  to  find  out  fome  one  Expe- 
dient or  other,  for  the  reconciling  a  bad  Life 
with  true  Peace  of  Mind,  and  with  Exped:a- 
tions  of  Heaven  !  It  would  be  tedious,  per- 
haps impoffible,  to  recount  the  feveral  Ways 
that  have  been  made  ufe  of  for  that  Purpofe. 
I  fhall  content  My  Self  with  naming  one  or 
two,  fuch  as  whole  SeSls  have  taken  into,  paf- 
fing  by  innumerable  others  which  private  Per- 
fons  have  contrived  for  Themfelves.  A  naked 
Faith  was  an  old  Device :  It  is  particularly 
confuted  by  St.  James  ;  and  more  need  not  be 
faid  of  it.  Some  have  pleafed  Themfelves  v/ith 
the  Thoughts  of  being  among  the  Elecf,  and 
thereupon  y^TZ/r^  of  Salvation  :  But  their  Mif- 
fortune  is,  that  They  can  never  be  certain  of 
Their  being  in  the  Number  of  the  Elecf,  in 
their  Senfe  of  the  Word,  but  by  living  a 
Vol,  II.  C  good 


34     Sinlefs  PerfeBion  no  Prerogative  , 

good  Life  J  and  perfeveri?ig  in  it  ^  all  their  Ddj^. 
St.  Paul  underftood  perfedly  how  this  Matter 
is ;  and  He  fays,  IVe  are  mads  Partakers  ofChriJtj 
if  We  hold  the  Beginning  of  our  Confidence  fted- 
faft  unto  the  End^.     If  We  hold  f aft  the  Confi- 
dence and  the  Kejoicing  of  the  Hope  firm  unto  the 
End^.     Some  perhaps  may  prefume   to   fay. 
We  can  hold  faft  oar  Cojifidence,   our  ilrong 
AJjurance  of  our  own  Salvation  to  the  End. 
But  St.  Paul  did  not  mean  ^W?^  Confidence, 
or  groimdlefs  AlTurance,    but  a  rational  and 
well-grounded  Hope,  built  upon  the  Merits  of 
Christ,  and  the  Confcioufnefs  of  living  an 
Holy    Life.    Therefore    in   another   Chapter, 
lower   dov^n.  He  varies  his  Phrafe,  and  fays. 
We  defire  that  E^oery  Otie  of  Tou   do  few  the 
fame  Diligence   to  the  full  Afjurance  of  Hope 
unto  the  Ejid  :  'That  Te  be  not  fiothfd^  but  Fol- 
lowers of  The?n,  JVho  through  Faith  and  Patience 
inherit  the  Promijh  ^.     Confidence  will  not  an- 
fwer,  without  Something  very  folid  and  fub- 
flantial  to  build  fuch  Confidence  upon. 

Many  have  flattered  Themfelves,  that  They 
have  had  the  re-veaUng  Evidence  of  the  Spirit^ 
the  Voice  oi  the  spirit  of  Go^  bearing  inward 
Teflimony  to  their  Spirits  :    For,  St.  Paul 

fav3 

^  Heb.  iii.  1 4.     ^  Keb.  iii.  6.     <=  Heb.  vi.  11,1::. 


of  a  Regenerate  State.  35 

fays,  T^he  Spirit  it  felf  beareth  Witnefs  with  Our 
Spirit,  that  We  are  the  Children  of  God  ^.    But 
St.  Paul  alfo  fays,  in  the  fame  Chapter,  that 
there   is  no  Condemnation  to  T^hem —  Who  walk 
after  the  Spirit,  and  Who  are  led  by  the  Spirit 
of  God^.     So  that,  at  length,  \}i\\%TeJlimony  of 
the  Spirit  refolves  entirely  into  the  Certainty 
We  have  of  our  bringing  forth  the  Fruits  of 
the  Spirit.     Strong  Afurance  will  fignify  lit- 
tle J  for  That  may  be  groundlefs  :    Fulnefs  of 
yoy  will  avail   as  little,  becaufe  it  may  be  a 
Fal/e  Joy,  or  a  Golden  Dream.     Befides  that, 
when  St.  Paul  told  the  Phi lippia?2s,  that  it  was 
God  that  worked  in  'Them  both  to  will  and  to  do, 
of  his  good  Pleafure,  He  did  not  therefore  bid 
Them  be  <:o^^(f?zif  of  their  Salvation,  or  full  of 
Afjurance  on  that  Score :  But  He  bad  Them 
work  out   their   own  Salvation  with  Fear  and 
Trembling^.     As  much  as  if  He  had  faid,  God 
is  your  Helper,  therefore   do  not  defpond:  But 
then  again,  becaufe  God  is  your  Helper,    and 
works  v/ith  You,  therefore  behave  as  becomes 
You,  before  the   tremendous   Majefty,  with 
humble  Reverence,    with  anxious   Care  and 
Dread,   with   the  utmoft  Diligence  and  ready 
Compliance,  lefl:,  if  You  fhould  work  under 
Vol.  II.  C  2  fuch 

a  Rcm.viii,  i6,       ^  Rom.  vili.  t,  14,      c  Philip,  ii.  12,  13- 


36     Sinlefs  PerfeBio7t  no  Prerogative, 

fuch  a  Guide,  in  a  negligent  and  carelefs  Man- 
ner, altogether  unworthy  of  fo  Divine  a  Ma- 
fter,  He  fliould  at  length  defert  You,  and  leave 
You  to  go  on  by  Your  Selves. 

Indeed,  Di  vine  Wifdom  knows  HumanFrame 
too  well,  to  give  Any  of  Us  infallible  Affuran-^ 
ces  of  our  Reward,  before  We  have  done 
our  Wark  j  left  thofe  very  AfTurances  fhould 
make  Us  fecure  and  negligent,  and  render  Us 
altogether  uncapabk  of  being  received  into 
thofe  pure  and  bright  Manfions  Above.  God 
has  told  Us  plainly,  upon  w^hat  Terms  He  will 
accept  Us,  through  the  Merits  of  Christ; 
and  He  leaves  Us  to  difcover  the  reft,  as  far 
as  We  reafonably  and  honeftly  may,  by  com- 
paring Our  Own  Lives  with  thofe  Gofpel- 
Terms.  This  is  all,  and  This  is  fufficient  for 
a  State  of  Probation:  Only,  the  farther  to 
check  vain  Prefumption,  whatever />r^^?z/  Ad- 
vances We  may  have  made,  We  are  ftill  left 
in  the  Dark  as  to  our  future  Behaviour,  and 
All  depends  upon  our  perfeveri?jg  unto  the 
End.  St.  Paul,  as  I  before  hinted,  above 
Twenty  Years  after  his  Converfion,  ftill  fpake 
fo  humbly  of  Himfelf,  as  almoft  to  fear,  left 
He  might  become  a  Caft-away.  Five  Years  af- 
ter That,  He  began  to  difcover  fome  Degrees 

of 


€f  a  Regefterate  State.  37 

of  AJjurance^  but  ftill  fuppofing  Himfelf  not 
very  far  from  his  End.  At  the  very  laft,  which 
was  Five  Years  later,  when  He  h.2i6.  fought  his 
good  Fight  J  kept  the  Faith,  2ind  JiniJJjed  his  Coiirfe, 
and  was  preparing  to  die  a  Martyr,  Then,  and 
not  'till  Then,  He  thought  it  became  Him 
(and  He  had  the  Revelation  of  God  to  war- 
rant Him)  to  exprefs  the  ilrongeft  AiTurances 
of  his  High  Reward  in  Heaven.  Let  Chri- 
ftians  of  a  much  lower  Clafs,  learn  from  thence, 
to  think  and  fpeak  modeftly  of  their  own  Cafe- 
If  They  wait  for  their  full  and  compleat 
A[jurance,  'till  They  are  on  the  other  Side  the 
Grave  5  They  will,  probably,  be  l\iQ  fur er  to 
find  it  there,  for  their  fpeaking  and  thinking 
fo  humbly  and  modeflly  of  Themfelves  here. 
Comfortable  Hopes,  along  with  a  Life  fuita- 
ble,  are  fufficient  Encouragernent  for  a  good 
Chriftian  to  proceed  with :  More  than  That 
might  be  hurtful  to  Us,  as  rather  obftruding^ 
than  furthering  the  great  Work  of  Salvation : 
Not  but  that  God  may  fometimes,  in  Cafes 
extraordinary,  fill  pious  Minds,  efpecially  if 
very  near  their  Departure,  and  when  fuch  In- 
dulgence can  do  no  Harm,  with  joyous  Rap- 
tures, and  fuper-abundant  Aflurances :  But  I 
fpeak  of  what  may  ordinarily  be  expe(5ted  in 

C  3  our 


38  Stnlefs  PerfeSiion  7to  Prerogative^  &c, 

our  Chriftian  Warflire.  To  conclude —  As 
our  Acceptance  hereafter  depends  entirely  up- 
on our  careful  and  confcientious  Condud:  here ; 
io  let  Every  Man  take  Care  to  walk  warily  and 
circumfpecSly,  and  to  rife  in  Aflurance  in 
Proportion  to  his  fo  doing,  growing  in  Grace, 
and  increafing  in  all  virtuous  and  godly  Liv- 
ing, and  fo  at  length  making  his  Calling  and 
Eled:ion  fure. 


S  E  R  M  O  N 


N   III. 


The  Scripture-Do^lrine  of  the  Unprofi- 
tablenefs  of  Man's  befl  Performances^ 
an  Argument  againft  Spiritual  Pride , 
jtt  no  Excufe  for  Slachiefs  in  good 
Works  and  Chriftian  Obedience. 


Luke  xvir.   lo. 

So  likewife  Ye^  when  Ye  poall  have  done 
all  thofe  "Things  which  are  commanded 
You^  fajy  We  are  tmprojitable  Ser- 
vaiits  :  We  have  done  That  which  was 
our  Duty  to  do, 

H  E  S  E  Words  are  the  Conclu- 
iion  of  a  Parable,  a  Kind  oi  Mo- 
ral fubjoined  to  it,  to  fignify  the 
Ufe  and  Application  of  it.  Our 
BlefTed  Lord  had  put  the  Cafe 
of  a  labouring  Servant  coming  Home  from  the 
C  4  Field, 


40    The  DefeBs  of  Majts  Service,  an 

Field,  to  wait  upon  his  Mailer  at  the  Table, 
performing  that  additional  Service  after  his  o- 
ther  Labours  of  the  Day  ;  providing  a  Sapper 
for  his  Mafter,  in  the  iirfl  Place,  and  attend- 
ing Him  patiently  all  the  Time,and  after  That, 
content  to  provide  for  Himfelf  After  our 
Lord  had  thus  reprefented  the  Cafe,  He  makes 
his  Reflexions  upon  it,  in  thefe  Words  :  Doth 
He  (that  is,  the  Mafter)  thank  that  Servant, 
hecaiife  He  did  the  'Things  that  were  com?nanded 
him  ?  I  trow  not  :  I  fuppofe  not.  So  likewije 
Te^  with  regard  to  your  Heavenly  Mafter,  when 
Te  jhall  have  done  all  thofe  things,  %vhich  are  com- 
manded you^  it  will  become,  it  will  behove  You 
to  fay  ;  TVe  are  unprofitable  Servants ;  We  have 
Only  done  That  which  it  was  our  bounden  Duty 
to  do.  Therefore  We  deferve  no  Thanks  from 
Him,  nor  have  any  flrid:  Claim  to  a  Keward 
from  Him  :  But  it  is  fuflicient  if  our  Service 
is  but  accepted;  for  to  have  negleded  it  where 
it  was  due,  would  have  deferved  Stripes.  This 
I  take  to  be  the  general  Senfe  and  Purport  of 
the  Text :  And  the  main  Defign  of  it  was,  to 
curb  and  keep  down  '^Spiritual  Pride  and  SelJ- 
apjiimings^  with  refped:  to  God,  and  to  teach 
Men  Modefty  and  true  Humility,  Prefume  not 
to  article  ftridly  with  Him,  or  to  make  any 
proud  Demands  upon  Him.     Bocfi  not  before 

Him 


Argument  againfl  Spiritual  Pride,    4 1 

Him  of  any,  even  your  befi  Services,  and  rec- 
kon not  at  all  upon  your  own  Defervings.  Do 
as  He  has  commanded  You  to  do,  to  the  ut- 
moft  of  your  Power,  affifted  by  his  Spirit 
(For,  without  That,  you  are  not  fit  to  be  cal- 
led his  Servants  at  all,  but  rather  to  be  dif- 
carded  as  none  of  his)  :  But  after  You  have 
done  all,  and  all  reafonably  well,  ftill  remem- 
ber how  infignificant  You  are  in  Comparifon, 
and  how  high  God  is  5  and  therefore  make  no 
unbecoming  Clai7ns  upon  Him,  becaufe  of  your 
Services  (poor  enough  at  the  beft) ;  but  chufe 
rather  to  refer  all  to  his  Favour  and  Goodnefs, 
than  to  your  own  Defer'vings,  In  difcourfing 
farther,  I  fhall  endeavour, 

I.  To  explain  What  the  Phrafe  or  Title  of 
unprofitable  Servants  here  ftridly  means. 

II.  To  fhew  how  much  it  concerns  fuch 
Servants,  to  make  their  Humble  Acknow- 
ledgments before  God,  of  the  Worthlefnefi 
of  all  their  Services. 

III.  To  obferve,  that  fuch  Achiowledgments 
muft  not  however  be  made  an  Excufe  or 
Colour  for  any  culpable  Shchiefs  in  our 
boimden  Duties,  or  for  pleading  any  'Ex- 
^mption  or  Difcharge  from  ufing  all  poffi- 
■  '  •         ^  ■  ble 


4^    7^^  DefeSis  of  Mans  Service^  an 

ble  Tiiligence  in  our  Chrillian  Calling,  to 
perform  all  that  is  commanded  Us. 

I. 

I  propofe  to  explain  What  the  Phrafe  or 
Title  of  tinprofitabk  Servafits  here  ftrid:ly  means. 
There  is  the  more  Need  of  explaining  it,  be- 
caufe  it  is  ufed  but  twice  befides  in  the  New 
Teflament,  and  in  a  Senfe  Avhich  perhaps  will 
not  fo  conveniently  fuit  the  Place  which  We  are 
now  upon.  We  firft  find  it  in  St.  Matthew, 
where  our  Lord  fays,  after  delivering  the  Pa- 
rable of  the  Talents,  Caji  the  unprofitable  Ser- 
'vanf  into  outer  Darknefs  5  there  ft:all  be  weeping 
and  gnajhing  of  Teeth  ^.  Here,  iinprojitable  Ser- 
va?2t  means  the  fame  with  a  wicked  or  profligate 
Servant  5  which  is  too  hard  a  Senfe  for  our 
Lord  to  have  intended  in  the  prefent  Text, 
where  He  applies  it  to  his  own  true  and  fin- 
cere  Difciples.  In  the  Epiille  to  the  Ro?nans, 
in  a  Quotation  there  taken  from  the  fourteenth 
PJalm^  we  read,  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the 
Wa)\  They  are  together  become  unprofitable  j  thej^e 
is  None  doth  good,  no  not  One  ^.  This  appears  to 
be  a  Defcription  of  very  ill  Men,  of  aban- 
doned Libertines  :  Accordingly,  in  the  Pfalm 
it  felf,  in  the  Old  Tranfiation,  the  Stile  runs, 
They  are  corrupt  and  become  abominable  j  and  ac- 
cording 

'  Matt.  x'xv.  -,o.  ^  Rom.  iii.  12. 


Argume?it  againjl  Spiritual  Pride,  43 

cording  to  the  New  Tranflation,  T^hey  are  all 
gone  afide^  'They  are  all  together  become  filthy^. 
The  Words,  abominable  and  filthy^  are  there 
made  to  anfwer  what  in  Romans  is  rendred 
unprofitable.  And  That,  again,  is  too  hard  a 
Senfe  to  put  upon  the  Word  unprofitable  in  the 
Text  We  are  now  upon  :  Therefore  We  muft 
look  out  for  fome  fofter  and  milder  Conftruc* 
tion,  in  this  iingle  Place,  to  make  the  Con- 
text anfwer. 

It  may  be  confider'd,  that  No  Man  can,  by 
any  Services  of  His,  be  profitable  to  God^  Who 
is  All-fiifiicient ^  and  is  above  needing  any  Bene- 
fit, or  receiving  any  real  Advantage  b.  But 
then  it  may  be  faid  that  neither  Man,  nor 
Angel,  nor  Archangel,  nor  any  Creature 
whatever  can  indeed  \>q profitable  to  God  :  And 
what  great  Matter  were  it  for  lapfed  Men  to 
profefs  Themfelves  unprofitable  Servants  in  fuch 
a  Senfe  only,  as  All  the  Company  of  Heaven 
mufl  for  ever  profefs  the  fame  ?  This  appears 
to  be  a  Senfe  as  much  too  high  for  the  Phrafe 
in  the  Text,  as  the  Other  was  too  hard  and 
fevere.  Let  Us  therefore  pitch  upon  fome 
middle  Meaning,  fuch  as  may  neither  be  too 
degrading  for  a  finccre  Chriftian  to  own,  nor 
yet  too  high  or  exalted  for  Man  in  a  fallen 

State. 

'  ?^4xiv.  3.  '°  Jobxxii.  z,  3.  xxxv.  7.        Pfal.  xvi.  2. 


44-    2"/5^  DcfcSfs  of  Ma7is  Service^  an 

Stuite..  Kad  our  Firll  Parents  preferved  their 
Iiitiii€£cnce  entire  to  the  lafl,  yet  They  would 
.lh;£^:e  been  but  tmprojitabk  Servants  after  all,  as 
feiinging  no  Profit  to  God.  Lapfed  Men  are 
ti^i'Qfitrd'le  m  a  more  difparaging  Senfe  than 
'XHiat^  being  All  of  them  Sinners.  Some  may 
i^amk  ibat  the  Text  it  felf  explains  the  Mean- 
iog;  of  tlie  Title,  by  the  Words,  Whe?i  2^c  Jlmll 
llr£^^^  ionc  all  Thofe  Things^  'which  are  commanded 
llii  ^  and  again.  We  have  dene  That  ivhich  ii:as 
©fir  'Ditty  to  do.  But  what  Man  is  there  that 
Ik^tb  net  '■:  or,  what  Man  ever  perform'd 
(Cerist  only  excepted)  all  that  his  Duty 
jT^aiued  CI  Him  ?  The  Text  neither  fays, 
I30k-  fuppofes^  that  Any  Man  has,  or  ever  will, 
(di^  all  that  is  commanded  Him.  It  fuppofes 
fosalj,  tl:at  in  feme  particular  Cafes  Men  may, 
sffiid  v/ill,  do  all  that  is  required  of  Them  in 
^h^£  Ciifes-  or  Inflances,  like  as  the  Servant  in 
llie  FaraMe  is  fuppofed  to  have  done  in  pro- 
viding his  Mafter  a  Supper,  and  then  waiting 
ispon  Kim  'till  the  Supper  was  ended.  Thus 
SBay  good  ?vlen  punctually'  perform  all  that 
W21S  required  of  Them  in  fome  particular  Af- 
£iars-,  while  They  fail  in  other  Matters,  more 
or  leC^,  through  human  Frailties.  Had  our 
Firll  Parents,  through  the  Grace  of  the  Spirit 
(for  They  could  not  without)  continued  tip- 

rights 


Argume77t  agawjl  Sphktial  Prklc, 

right.  They  could  not  indeed  have  profited  the 
Divine  Majefly,  nor  have  claimed  a  Reuj:;ard ■.■^ 
")/  Debt  :  But  This  They  could  have  den-umd- 
ed  (becaufe  it  would  but  have  beee  doing 
Them  Juftice)  to  be  pronounced /;z;/0^^?i/ ;  anil 
They  might  have  claim'd  Impunity^  becaufe  ai 
righteous  'Judge  cannot  condemn  the  Guilt'kp^ 
Now,  lapfed  Man  cannot  demand  even  fo  fc,, 
being  that  He  is  guilty,  and  therefore  liable  iS2» 
Blame,  liable  alfo  to  Penalty  :  So  that,  upcxm 
the  Whole,  when  Any,  even  the  Beft  of  fallem 
Men,  profefs  Themfelves  to  be  imprcfitMMs 
Servants  of  God,  They  may  reafonably  Ihe 
fuppofed  to  mean,  that  They  are  Creaiimss 
Who  can  make  no  beneiicial  Returns.,  no  prs-^ 
per  Requitals  to  their  Creator  j  that  They  ane 
Creatures  of  a  /^^zs; Order,  comparatively^  Iia- 
man,  mortal  Creatures,  ¥/ho  can  neither  "wIS^ 
nor  do,  any  Thing  without  the  Aids  of  Divai^e 
Grace  j  and  further,  that  They  are  alfo  -Shi- 
ners, Who,  inftead  of  -meriting  a  Rewcii-d^  'or 
claiming  it  as  a  Debt,  cannot  fo  much  as  claiii^ 
Impunity,  or  Glory  in  God's  Sight,  but  omii 
be  content  to  fue  to  Him  in  the  humble  pE-U~- 
tionary  Form  for  Reward,  for  Grace,  and  eveii^ 
for  hnpunity,  referring  all  to  God's  Mercy  ani 
Goodnefs,  and  That  alfo  piirchajed  for  Them  by 
the  alone  Merits  of  Ch  r  i  s  t  Test  ?, 


46    The DefeEis  of  Mans  Service^  an 

ir. 

I  proceed  now,  Secondly^  to  confider  how 
much  it  concerns,  and  how  fitly  it  becomes, 
fuch  unprofitable  Servants  to  make  their  hum- 
ble Acknowledgments  before  God,  of  the 
Worthlejnefs  of  all  Their  Services  3  worthlefs^ 
I  mean,  with  refpedl  to  God^  not  otherwife  :• 
For,  they  are  not  worthlefs  with  refpecfl  to 
Angels^  or  to  other  Men ;  more  efpecially  not 
to  our  ow?i  Souls^  but  That,  by  the  Way,  only 
to  prevent  Miflakes. 

Now,  to  underftand  the  more  clearly,  how 
much  it  concerns  Us,  and  how  indifpenfably 
necefTary  it  is  to  make  fuch  Humble  Acknow- 
ledgments J  We  are  to  confider  the  infinite 
Holinefs  and  Purity  of  that  tremendous  De- 
ity with  Whom  We  have  to  do  ;  that  He  is  of 
purer  Eyes  than  to  behold  Evil,  or  to  look  fa- 
vourably upo?i  Iniquity  ^  ;  that  his  Angels  He 
hath  charged  with  Folly  ^  -,  and  that  even  the 
Me  averts  are  not  clean  in  his  Sight  c.  What  is 
Man  then,  that  He  fimdd  be  clean  ?  and  He 
Who  is  born  of  a  Wornan^  that  Hefmddbe  righte- 
ous^ ?  Now,  tho'  God's  Goodnefs  difpofes 
Him  always  to  be  as  merciful  to  Sinners,  as 

the 

^  Habbak.  i.  13.  d  j^^^  ^^^   ^^     ,  jr-^^^^  ^j-j^ 

^Jobiv.  18.  46.  Prov.xx.  9.  Ecclef.vii.2c. 

* 'Xv.  15.  XXV.  5.  I  Joh.  i.  8. 


Argument  againjl  spiritual  Pride.  4,7 

the  Reafons  of  Government,  or  the  Nature 
of  Things  permits,  yet  the  Honour  and  Dig- 
nity of  his  unfpotted  Holinefs   and    Purity 
muft  be  kept  up,  in  the  Sight  both  of  Men 
and  Angels.    Therefore  when  God  was  fo  kind 
to  his  own  People  of  Ifrael^  He  took  parti- 
.  cular  Care  to  have  it  often  inculcated,  that  it 
.was   not  for  their   Right eoiifnefs    that  He  fo 
highly  favoured  Them  %  but  upon  other  Ac- 
counts ;  and  particularly,  for  his  own  Name's 
SakeK 

One  Thing  We  know,  that  if  our  Firft 
Parents  had  remainedy^;?/^,  God  could,  con- 
fiflently  with  the  Honour  of  his  Purity,  have 
admitted  Them,  as  righteous  in  Themfelves, 
to  Life  Eternal.  But  fince  the  Fall,  the  Rule 
has  been  (according  to  the  Divine  Counfels, 
founded  on  unerring  Truth)  that  ATo  Man  liv- 
ing is  in  Himfelf  righteous^  nor  can  be  received 
as  righteous^  but  in  and  through  the  Merits  of  a 
Divine  Mediator,  his  only  S>cn^  and  our  on- 
ly Redeemer,  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  So  • 
fiands  the  Cafe  :  And  God  will  have  it  ac- 
knowledged by  the  Beft  of  Us,  for  the  Honour 
of  his  high  Name,  that  We  are,  as  to  Our 
Selves,  improfitable  Servants,  and  Sinners^  and 
can  no  otherwife  be  jiijlified  in  his  Sight,  or 

permitted 
2  Deut.  Ix.  6j    ^  Ifa.  xliii,  25,  xlviii.  9.  Ezek.  xx,  9, 14,  22, 44. 


48    "The  DefeSis  of  Mans  Service^  an 

permitted  to  appear  before  Him,  but  in  the 
Luftre  which  We   borrow  from  his   beloved 
So?i,  in  Whom  only  He  is  well  pleafed.     With 
this   Key,    You  may  very  eafily  underftand 
all  that   St.  Paul    meant    (in  two   of  his 
Epiftles  efpecially,  viz.  to  the  Romans^   and 
Qalatians)  by  infifting  fo  ftrongly  upon  'Jufii- 
fication  by  Fmth.     There  were  at  that  Time 
Pagans y  in  great  Numbers,  Who  valued  Them- 
felves  much  upon   their  Exalted  Virtues  (for 
fo  their  Pride  perfwaded  Them)  and  upon  their 
good  77ioral  Lives  j  conceiving  that  They  had 
no  Need  of  Chri  st,  and  fo  They  would  not 
embrace  the  Gofpel.     There  were  alfo  Mul- 
titudes oijeivs  [Pharijees  efpecially)  Who  were 
even  prouder  in  that  Point  than  the  Pagans^ 
ftrongiy  conceited  of  their  fpiritual  Improve- 
ments and  Privileges,  as  if  They  had  known 
no  SiUy  nor  had  any  Need  of  Pardon,    Againft 
both  thofe  Kinds  of  Men  the  Apoftle  dif- 
puted  with  great  Strength  and  Clearnefs,  in 
Order  to  beat  down  their  Vanity,  and  to  con- 
vince Them  of  the  abfolute  Necelllty  of  look- 
ing out  for  fome  better  Right eoitfriefs  than  their 
cwn,  the  Righteoujnefs  that  reds  in  the  jneri- 
toriotis  Atonement  made  by   Christ  Jesus. 
That  was  to  be  received  by  Faith  j  that  is  to 
fay,    by  a   fubmiffive  and   humble  Acknow- 
ledgment 


Argument  againfi  Spiritual  Pride,    49 

ledgment  of  their  Own  Unprofitablenefs ,  and  In- 
/ujjiciency  as  to  Salvation^  and  by  re  poling  their 
Whole  Triifl  and  Confidence  in  the  Gofpel- 
Covenant  oi  Grace ^  in  What   Christ  had 
done  and  fufFered  for  Them.     This  is  The 
yiiftification  by  Faith ^  in  the  Stile  of  that  great 
Apoftle.     For  Faith  in  this  Cafe,    is  a  Vir- 
tual Acknowledgment  of  our  own  Sinfulnefs,  and 
of  God's  zinjpotted  Purity  -,  and  wdthal,  a  kind 
of  Silent  Prayer  fent  up  to   the  Divine  Ma- 
jefty,  befeeching  Him  to  admit  Us,  not  for 
any  Pretenjions  of  our  own^  not  for  our  own 
Services  (which  at  the  beft  are  too  weak  and 
imperfe5}  to  fl:and  before  Him,  or  abide  His 
flrid:  Scrutiny)   hxxt for  the  Sake  oi  Christ 
Jesus  o?ily,  and  out  of  His  own  Free  Grace 
and  Mercy  towards  Us.    Such  Acknowledgment 
beine  made  on  our  Part,  and  fuch  Obedience 
alfo  performed  as  is  required  by  that  Covenant 
of  Grace ^  which  We  reft  our  Selves  upon^  then 
may  the  Divine   Majefty,  without  any  Im- 
peachment of  his  Holinefs,  admit  Us  into  Fa- 
vour,' and  own  Us  for  his    Servants.     For, 
then  it  cannot  be  faid,  that  He  receives  Sin- 
ners as   Sinners^  but  He    receives    Them    as 
wajlded 'SSid  purified  in  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb  : 
Yea,  as  perfectly  righteous  -,  not  in  T^hemfehes^ 
but  in  Christ  the  righteous  3  who  by  His 
Vol.  II.  D  All- 


50    l*he  DefeSis  of  Mans  Service^  an 

All-prevailing  Atonement  hath  merited  This  for 
All  fincere  and  penitent  Offenders,  that  They 
fhall  be  treated  as  if  Th.QyvfQVQ  perfeBly  Righ- 
teous, and  fhall  be  recompenfed  accordingly. 
Abraham,   of  ancient  Time,  to  whom 
the  Gofpel  was  preached  a,  and  who  before- 
hand y^i^;  Christ's  Day,  and  was  glad ^  j  He 
vi2i'&juftified  by  That  Kind  of  Faith :  And  fo 
was  David,  and  the  ancient  Patriarchs  and 
Prophets  j  and  after  Them,  the  Apoftles,  and 
all  good   Chriftians.     This  is  a   fober  Truth, 
which  ought  deeply  to  be  imprinted  in  every 
ones  Mind,  in  Oppofition  to  all  proud  Claims : 
And  fo  much  the  rather,  becaufe  there  are  at 
this  Day,  even  under  This  Gofpel-Sunfliine, 
Some  that   pretend  to  Merit,  and  Works  of 
Siiper-errog'atioji  j  as  if  They  were  not  Sinners, 
or  needed  no  Pardon  ;  Some  that  prefume   to 
think  and  fay,    that   God  is  obliged  in  Ju- 
ftice,  or  in  Goodnefs,    to  accept  of  Them, 
without  any  Amendment,  or,  however,  with- 
out Atonement  j  Some  that  Afcribe  fo  much  to 
Free-Will^  as  to  exclude  the  Need,  or  Ufe  of 
Divine  Grace ;   Some  conceive   fo  Highly  of 
ISlatural  Religion,  and  of  Virtues  merely  Mo- 
ral, as  to  defpife  that  Righteoujhefs  which  the 
Gofpel  teaches :  And  fome  likewife  there  are, 

who 

a  Gal.  iii.  8.        ^  John  viii.  56. 


Argument  againjl  Spiritual  Pride.    5 1 

who  fear  not  to  boafl  even  of  Sinlefs  PerfeBi- 
Oft,  and  who,  for  that  Reafon,  forbear  to 
pray  for  Forgivenefs  of  God.  Now,  St. 
Paul's  Dodrine  concerning  yujiification  by 
Faithj  is  a  ftanding  Evidence  againft  all  fuch 
proud  Boajiers^  confuting  their  big  Pretenfi- 
ons,  and  beating  down  their  alTuming  Claims. 
It  is  fatal  Overfight,  for  a  Man  not  to  con- 
fider  well  beforehand,  what  to  reft  His  Salva- 
tion upon,  or  what  chiefly  to  truft  to,  before 
the  High  Tribunal.  Come  We  before  God^ 
in  the  Way  of  humble  Petition,  or  in  the  Way 
oijiridi  Claim  f  Stand  We  upon  our  own  Righ- 
teoufnej's,  or  upon  the  Merits  of  Christ? 
Seek  We  to  be  judged  by  the  Letter  of  the 
Law,  or  by  indulgent  Favour,  and  a  Covenant 
of  Grace  ?  In  a  Word,  Stand  We  upon  our 
perfeB  Innocence,  or  upon  the  tender  Mercy  of 
the  Judge  ?  St.  Paul  has  diredled  Us  how  to 
move  in  this  Cafe,  how  to  form  Our  Plea,  and 
what  Courfe  to  take :  Move  by  Faith  and 
Trujl  in  the  Merits  of  ChristJesus  :  Drop 
your  Plea  of  Works,  becaufe  there  is  a  Flaw 
in  it,  and  there  is  no  abiding  by  it  -,  for  Wc 
have  All  finned,  more  or  lefs,  and  God  is  of 
purer  Eyes  than  to  accept  of  any  Thing  in 
that  Way,  {hono£  Perfe^ion.  But  if  you  fue 
to  the  Throne  of  Grace  by  Faith  in  Chri  st's 
Vol.  II.  D  2  Bloody 


5  2    The  DefeEis  of  Mmis  Service^   an 

Blood,  that  is  the  fame  Thing  with  dropping 
all  Plea  from  your  own  Defervings,  and  glo- 
rying in  Nothing,  fave  only  in  the  Crojs  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ^  That  is  the  Method, 
the  only  tme  Method,  whereby  to  efcape 
Punifhment,  and  to  arrive  at  Heaven  and  Hap- 
pinefs.  Make  your  humble  Achiowledgjnents 
of  the  Need  You  have  of  a  Saviour,  and  reft 
your  Salvation  upon  ITim  j  and  then  the  Di- 
vine Majefty  can,  with  a  Salvo  to  His  ftrid: 
Juftice  and  Holinefs,  have  Mercy  upon  You 
while  it  is  by  his  Interell,  and  upon  his  Ac- 
count, not  upon  j'c^z^r  Own.  So  much  for  that 
Article. 

III. 

I  proceed  now.  Thirdly  and  Lailily,  to  ob- 
ferve,  that  fuch  humble  Acknowledgments 
as  I  have  been  here  mentioning,  muft  not  how- 
ever be  fo  underiiood  as  to  afford  any  Excufe 
or  Colour  for  Slacknefs  in  our  boimden  Duties  j 
or  for  pleading  any  Exemption  or  Dijcharge 
from  true  chrifiian  Obedience :  For,  what  if 
St.  Paul  directs  Us  to  apply  to  God  by  Faith  ^ 
Doth  tiot  the  fame  St.  Paul  tell  us,  that  it 
muft  be  a  Faith  which  worketh  by  Love  ^  ?  And 
what  if  He  advifes  Us  not  to  infifl  upon  our 

Works 

a  Gal.  vi.  14.         ''  Gal.  v.  6. 


Argument  againjl  Spiritual  Pride,    53 

Works  as  perfe5i,  nor  to  iland  upon  That  Plea, 
in  Oppoiition  to  a  better  j  yet  does  He  not  al- 
fo  tell  Us,  that  We  are  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  Works  "^^  and  that  the  End  of 
the  Commandment  is  Charity^?  It  is  right,  and 
our  bounden  Duty,  to  renounce  all  Claims, 
and  JiriSl  Demafids,  while  We  ftand  before 
God,  and  to  throw  Our  felves  entirely  upon  a 
Covenant  of  Grace :  But  ftill  that  v^vy  Covetiant 
of  Grace  has  feveral  Referves  and  Exceptions  ia 
it,  to  exclude  all  impenitejit  Offenders,  and  car- 
ries its  ov/n  Conditions  along  with  it  j  which 
are  many,  but  are  all  fumm'd  in  thefe  Two, 
an  humble  well-grounded  Faith ^  and  2i  fai' 
cere,  though  imperfedt.  Obedience. 

There  were  fome  foolifh  Perfons  in  the  Days 
of  the  Apoftles,  who  having  heard,  very  pro- 
bably, of  St.  Paul's  Do6trine  of  Jujlification 
by  Faith^  and  by  Grace^  laid  hold  of  it  as  an 
Handle,  or  Colour  for  throv/ing  off  Good  Works, 
and  Chriftian  Obedience.  Any  Handle  will 
ferve,  Vv^here  either  the  Judgment  is  exceed- 
ing weak,  or  corrupt  Inclination  exceeding 
firong  :  Other  wife,  one  might  jufily  wonder, 
how  fo  wild  a  Thought  could  have  poffeffed 
any  Man  that  fliould  call  Himfelf  a  Chrifli- 
an.  However,  St.  James  took  Care,  in  few, 
D  3  but 

a  Ephef,  ii.  10.        '^  I  Tim.  i.  5. 


54    The  DefeBs  of  Man  s  Service^  an 

but  very  expreffive  Words,  to  obviate  Thofe 
Lioofe  Frinciples^  thereby  to  prevent  the  Decep- 
tion of  the  ignorant  and  undifcerning  ^.  St. 
Paul  had  before  determined  the  general  and 
previous  Qaefiion,  about  the  right  Method  of 
applying  to  God,  and  the  Plea  that  would  be 
fafeft  to  ftand  upon,  giving  it  on  the  Side  of 
humble  Faithy  againft  all  proud  Clai?ns  from 
our  own  Performances :  And  now  St.  James 
determines  a  fecond  ^ejiion^  about  the  true 
2iXid  ftdl  Import  oi  \S\2.X.  Plea  oi  Faithy  evidently 
demonstrating  that  That  very  Plea  of  Faith 
is  fo  far  from  excluding  Chrijiian  Obedience^ 
that  it  neceffarily  takes  it  in,  and  cannot  be  un- 
derflood  without  it.  For,  Faith  without  Obe- 
dience is  but  a  dead  Faith,  or  in  EfFed:,  no 
Faith  at  all.  Abraham's  Faith  was  a  live- 
ly and  working  Faith,  exerting  it  felf,  as  Op- 
portunities offered,  in  all  Kinds  of  Virtues  and 
Graces,  in  every  good  Word  and  IFork.  Such 
muft  every  Man's  Faith  be,  if  He  hopes  to 
ht  juflijiedhy  it  here,  ovfavedhy  it  hereafter. 
Perhaps,  what  I  have  hinted  of  the  twofe- 
veral  ^ejlions,  decided  by  the  two  Apojiles, 
may  be  made  a  little  plainer,  by  an  eafy  and 
familiar  Example.  Im^agine  a  Criminal  going 
to  be  tried  for  his  Life.    It  is  propofed  to  Him, 

in 

3  James  ii.  1 4.— —26. 


Argument  againjl  Spiritual  Pride,    c  C 

in  that  Cafe,  whether  to  ftand  upon  JiriS^ 
Law,  and  his  own  perfeB  Innocence^  or  to 
plead  fome  A5i  of  Grace,  fome  A5i  of  Indem^ 
nity.  He  dehberates  upon  it,  as  the  firfl  Que- 
ftion,  and  at  length  comes  into  the  Plea  of 
Gr-ace,  as  his  fafeft  Plea  :  This  is  doing  What 
St.  Paul  advifed  in  another  Cafe. 

After  That,  another  Queftion  comes  on,  ve- 
ry diftind:  from  the  former;  'uiz.  What  are 
the  Conditiom  of  That  very  AB  of  Grace  which 
the  Criminal  had  fubmitted  to,  and  refolved 
to  abide  by  ?  This  the  Lawyer's  determine 
upon  the  Trial,  and  upon  That  depends  the 
Final  Ijj'ue  of  the  Caufe.  In  like  Manner,  af- 
ter St. Paul's  Decidon  of  the  previous  Quefti- 
on about  Pleading  the  Adl  of  Grace,  St.  James 
comes  in  to  fhev/  v/hat  Conditions  that  Ad:  con- 
tains. 

Nov/,  the  praBical  Conclufion  from  all  that 
has  been  here  faid,  is,  to  guard  the  more  care- 
fully againft  t^'djo  very  dangerous  Extremes, 
which  Some  or  Other  have,  in  all  Ages,  unhap- 
pily fallen  into,  and  to  keep  the  jniddle  Pathy 
the  plain  and  even  Road,  where  You  may  be 
fafe,  not  turning  afide,  either  to  the  Right 
Hand,  or  to  the  Left  a. 

D  4  If 

a  Prov.  iv.  27. 


56  The  DefeSs  of  Mans  Service^  an 

If  you  come  before  God,  full  of  Your  Own 
Selves,  reckoning  upon  your  owfi  Defervings, 
trufting  in  Your  Own  Holmefs,  or  Righteouf- 
nefs,  and  not  humbling  Your  Selves  as  Sin- 
ners, and  unprofitable  Servants,  or  not  relling 
your  Salvation  upon  the  rich  Mercy  of  God, 
and  the  all-prevailing  Atonement  made  by  the 
Blood  of  Chrift,  then  You  are  proud,  knowing 
Nothing,  or  Nothing  conllderable  ;  having  no 
right  Knowledge  either  of  your  own  Frail- 
ties, Failings  and  Omiffions,  or  of  God's  all- 
fearching  Eye,  and  his  tremendous  Juftice, 
were  He  once  to  be  extreme  to  mark  what- 
ever has  been  done  amifs,  and  to  exad:  it  of  Us. 

If,  on  the  other  Hand,  (coniidering  how 
mean  and  worthlefs,  in  the  Sight  of  God, 
even  Our  beft  Services  are,  and  that  all  Our 
Hope  and  Comfort  lie  folely  in  his  Mercy  and 
Chrifi's  Merits)  You  fhould  thereupon  negled; 
to  cleanfe  your  Hands,  and  purify  your  Hearts 
(as  far  as  by  God's  Grace  You  may)  or  fliould 
^^o^  fiack  and  carelefs  in  Christian  Duties,  faints 
ing  by  the  Way,  and  not  perfevering  to  the 
End,  but  prefuming  upon  God's  Mercy  to  fave 
You,  though  You  live  and  die  in  your  Sins ; 
then  You  run  into  the  other  Extreme,  not  lefs 
pernicious  than  the  former. 

What 


Argument  againjl  Spiritual  Pride.    ^7 

What  then  is  the  Way  to  take  into,  and 
purfue,  fo  as  not  to  mifcarry here,  or  there? 
The  Way  is  to  afpire  to  Righteoufnefs  and  true 
HolinefSj  with  all  Your  Might,  and  not  to  be 
proud  of  it,  when  You  have  done.  Think  it 
worthkfs  in  the  Sight  of  God,  and  infinitely 
below  his  Acceptance^  were  it  not  for  the  Me- 
ritsofC-RRisT  :  But  flill  remember,  that  it  is 
as  much  worth  to  Tou  as  Heaven  is  worth,  be- 
caufe  without  fuch  Holinefs,  no  Man  fiall  fee 
the  Lord  ^ 

To  conclude  :  Be  as  ambitious  of  leading  a 
good  Life,  as  if  You  were  fure  even  to  77ierit  by 
it :  At  the  fame  Time  be  as  humble  before 
God,  as  the  Great  St.  Paul  was,  Who  befides 
keeping  the  Faith,  after  He  had  done  per- 
haps more  in  the  Way  of  Good  Works  than 
any  mere  Man  had  done  before  Him,  yet 
fumm'd  up  his  own  Life  and  Charad:er  in  a 
very  few,  and  very  humbling  Words,  that  He 
was  Nothing  b.  He  remembred  that  God  was 
All ',  in  whom  We  live  and  move,  and  have  our 
Being^. 

a  Heb.  xii.  14.         t.  2  Cor,  xii.  11.         c  Afts  xvii.  28. 


SERMON 


SERMON   IV. 

The  Care  required  in  chujing  our  Reli- 
gious Principles,  and  the  Steddinefs  in 
retaining  them  when  fb  duottn^  Jlated 
and  clear  d. 


I  Thess.  v.  21. 

Frove  all  Things  :   Holdfaji  That  which 
is  good, 

H  E  Text  contains  two  very- 
weighty  and  important  Precepts, 
which  have  a  near  Relation  to 
each  other ;  and  which  may 
well  deferve  both  to  be  rightly 
imderftood,  and  carefully  retain'd  by  All. 

The  firft  is,  to  prove,  try,  or  examine  all 
Things  (propofed  as  of  any  Confequence  to  our 
Belief  and  Pradice)  that  fo  We  may  difcern 

what 


6o       T^e  Duty  required  in  chujing^ 

what  is  really  good :    The  next  is,  to  clofe  in 
with  it  heartily  as  foon  as  found,  and  firmly 
to  adhere  to  it.    The  Defign  of  which  Precepts 
is  to  caution  us  againfl  two  pernicious  Extremes, 
which  many  unthinking  Perfons  are  prone  to 
run  into :  One  is  the  taking  Opinions  upon  Truji 
from  Others,  without  ever  examining  or  con- 
fidering  What,  or  Why  ;  the  Other  is,  being 
too  unjettkd  and  irrejolute  even  after  Exami- 
nation, not  being  able,  after  a  wife  Choice,  to 
fix  and  abide  by  it.     It  is  hard  to  fay  which  of 
the  two  Extremes  is  the  moft  unreafonable  ; 
whether  the  being  too  credulous  m  receding  any 
Thing,  or  every  Thing  without  Diftin5iim  ;  or 
the  not  receiving  and  retaining  What  upon  due 
Examination  well  deferves  it.     Credulity  on  one 
Hand,  or  Unjleadinefs  on  the  other,  are  equally 
dangerous  :  Both  contributing  to  multiply  Mif- 
takes,  and  to  confound  all  Diflind:ion  of  True 
and  Falje,  GW  and  Evil.  The  Way  to  prevent 
both  is,  firfl:,  to  examine  into  any  Opinion  or 
Dod:rine  propounded  to  us,  in  order  to  direct 
or  regulate  our  Choice-,  and  then,  after  We  have 
made  a  wije  Choice,  to  hold  to  it  refolutely  and 
unalterably,    in  Order  to  reap  the  full  Bene- 
fits of  it.     We  mufl  indeed  be  cautious  in  the 
Choice  of  our  Principles,  as  in  the  Choice  of 
our  Friends,  not  admitting  them  as  fuch  'till 


they 


and  retaining^  our  Religion.        6i 

they  have  been  well  appraised :  But  when  They 
have  been  once  well  chojen^  We  muft  be  con- 
jlant  to  them,  and  never  lightly  part  with 
them.  My  Defign  then  is,  in  my  following 
Difcourfe,  to  recommend  two  Things  to  our 
more  efpecial  Notice  5 

I.  Care  and  Difcretion  in  chujtng, Prove 

all  Things  j  and, 

II.  Firmnefs  and  Steddinefs  in  retaining,---^ 
Holdfaji  That  which  is  good, 

I. 

To  begin  with  the  frfi,  namely,  the  Pre- 
cept to  prove  all  Things.  Here  it  will  be  pro- 
per to  confider  the  Perfons  to  whom  This  Pre- 
cept belongs  3  The  Rule  whereby  they  are  to 
proceed  ;  and  the  ^lalijications  necefTary  to  a 
right  Performance  thereof. 

I.  The  Perfons.  And  here  I  muft  remark, 
that  the  Precept  is  not  given  to  the  Guides  and 
Pafiors  only  (though  They  may  indeed  be  con- 
ceived principally  concerned  in  it)  but  to  Chrijli- 
am  at  large.  It  is  to  the  Church  of  the  Theja- 
lonians^  and  fo  to  every  Churchy  and  not  to  the 
Pajlors  only,  that  the  Advice  is  diredted  :  It  is 
to  as  Many  as  are  obliged  to  holdfaji  That  which 
is  goody  therefore  mofl  certainly  to  All;  both 
3  ^i^rgy 


62      The  Duty  required  in  chujing^ 

Clergy  and  People ;  only  in  fuch  Proportion  and 
Degree,  as  their  feveral  Stations,  Capacities, 
Abilities,  or  Opportunities,  refpecftively,  may 
permit.  To  This  agree  Thofe  other  Precepts 
of  like  Kind,  recommended  in  holy  Scripture, 
to  Chriftians  at  large  j  To  try  the  Spirits  whe- 
ther they  are  of  God^.  To  examine  'Tbemfehes 
whether  they  be  in  the  Faith ^  and  to  prove  their 
Own  Selves  ^.  To  be  ready  to  .give  a  Reajon  of 
the  Hope  that  is  in  Them  c,  and  the  like.  Ac- 
cordingly the  Bereans  are  commended  for  their 
ingenuous  Freedom,  in  examining  before  They 
gave  their  AiTent  even  to  the  Apojlle's  Dodirine : 
Searching  the  Scriptures,  whether  Thofe  Things 
were  fo  ^»  Vain  therefore  are  the  Pretences  of 
the  Romif)  Bigots^  for  confining  the  Precept  to 
the  Clergy  only,  excluding  the  Laity  without 
Diftinction  from  the  Duty,  or  Privilege  of 
examining  and  judging  for  Themfelves.  It  is 
the  Right  and  Duty  of  All  Perfons,  to  believe 
no  farther  than  They  have  Reafons^  and  to 
look  Themfelves  (as  far  as  They  are  able)  into 
the  Strength  and  Force  of  thofe  Reafons,  be- 
fore They  give  their  AiTent  j  or  however 
before  They  fix  and  abide  by  it.  Neither  is 
This  peculiar  to  Us  as  Chriftians  j  but  it  con- 
cerns Us  as  Men.     It  is  one  of  the  Natural 

Rights 

*iJohniv.  I.     •*  2Cor. xili.  5.     ci  Pet.  Hi.  15.    ^  A<Sls xvii.  il . 


and  retaining^  our  Religion,      63 

Rights  of  Mankind,  founded  in  the  very  Na- 
ture of  Things,  and  neceflarily  refulting  from 
their  being  made  rational  Creatures.  No  Man 
can  be  bound  to  follow  Others  blindly,  who 
has  Faculties  given  Him  to  difcern  between 
True  and  Fdlfe,  between  Good  and  Evil.  His 
own  Judgment  and  Confcience,  and  not  An- 
other s,  is  the  immediate  Guide  of  his  Faith,  and 
Prad:ice  -,  which  He  mufi;  give  Account  of 
at  the  great  Day.  It  is  therefore  his  Duty, 
and  his  Bulinefs  to  inform  Himfelf,  as  care- 
fully as  He  can :  And  then,  and  there  only, 
to  truft  to  Other  Mens  Eyes,  where  He  can- 
not fee  clearly  with  his  onion.  And  even  in 
thefe  Cafes,  He  is  ilill  to  judge  for  Himfelf,  as 
reafonably  as  He  can.  Who  or  What  Perfons 
are  to  be  taken  for  his  Guides,  or  InJiriiBors, 
upon  the  beft  and  moft  impartial  Judgment  He 
is  able  to  make  of  their  Authority,  Integrity, 
or  Abilities.  We  are  None  of  Us  able  to  ex- 
amine particularly  into  the  whole  Compafs  and 
Extent  of  Things  :  ,  Something  there  muft  be 
of  implicite  Faith  in  Other  Men's  Labours. 
There  are  very  few  Perfons  but  Who  miijl,  or 
Who  will  take  fome  Things  upon  Truft; 
wanting  either  Ability  or  Leifure  to  run  thro* 
all  the  Parts  of  Enquiry,  and  to  fearch  every 
Thing  to  the  Bottom.     But  fo  far  as  Any  Man 

3  ^s 


64     7^^  Duty  required  in  chujing^ 

is  qualified^  and  furnifh'd  with  Leijure  and  Op^ 
portimity  for  it,  fo  far  He  ought  to  fearch  for 
Himjelf :  And  as  to  the  reft.  He  is  ftill  to 
judge,  as  He  will  anfwer  it  at  the  Great  Day, 
whofe  Report  J  or  whofe  'Judgment^  He  may 
moft  fafely  rely  on,  in  Matters  beyond  his 
Reach  or  Capacity.  Very  able  Divines  will, 
in  many  Things,  rely  upon  the  Report  or 
Judgment  of  profefs'd  Lingiiijis^  Criticks^  or 
Grammarians :  The  Towiger  and  le/s-funiijlf  d 
Divines  will  very  much  confide  in  the  older 
and  more  Learned :  The  Common  People  will,  in 
many  Things,  truft  to  their  immediate  and 
proper  Guides  :  And,  perhaps,  the  very  Illite- 
rate and  Ignorant  will  much  rely  upon  the 
Judgment  of  Any  (be  They  Clergy  or  Laity) 
Whom  They  take  to  be  wifer  and  more  knowi7ig 
than  Themfelvcs  5  or  of  whofe  Integrity  or 
Friendjhip  towards  Them  They  have  no  Rea- 
fon  to  doubt.  We  fee  then,  that  in  the  very 
Nature  of  the  Thing,  a  great  Deal  mull:,  and 
will  be  taken  upon  Triijl  from  Others  -,  and 
That  more  or  lefs,  according  to  the  great  Va- 
riety there  is  of  Mens  Abilities,  Opportunities, 
Qualifications,  and  CirCiimfiances  :  So  that  the 
Precept,  to  prove  all  Thi72gs,  comes  at  length 
to  This  J  to  examine  into  all  Things,  dire^ly, 
fo  far  as  We  can  do  it  ;  and  where  we  cannot, 

there 


a?jd  retahitngy  our  Religio?2,       65 

there  to  examine  whofe  Learnings  whofe  Inte- 
grity y  and  whofe  "Judgment  may  be  moft  fafely 
triijied  for  the  reft  :  For  the  Purpofe. —  The 
Bulk  of  common  Chrijiians  muft  in  a  great  Mea- 
fure  depend  upon  the  Integrity  and  Ability  of 
Others y  as  to  the  Authority  and  Divinity  of  the 
Sacred  Canon,  the  Vncorruptnefs  of  the  Copies, 
the  Faith fulnefs  of  the  T^ranjlation,  and  the 
ConJtruBion  of  fome  of  the  more  dijicult  Texts. 
Thefe  Things  fuppofed,  They  may  Them- 
felves  competently  judge,  from  Scripture  it 
feif,  of  the  moft  Important  or  Fundamental 
Points  of  Faith  or  Pradice.  In  plain  and  com- 
mon Cafes,  Ordinary  Capacities  may  examine 
and  judge  for  Themfelves  :  And  They  ought 
to  do  fo,  for  the  Reafons  before  hinted.  They 
may  judge  for  Themfelves  what  Religion  They 
ought  to  be  of,  and  what  Church  to  unite  with, 
and  what  DcBrines  of  that  Church  They  are  to 
receive,  or  not  to  receive  •  only  paying  this 
reafonable  and  juft  Deference  to  the  united 
Senfe  and  Verdidl  of  Synods  or  Councils,  as 
not  to  oppofe  it,  hov^ever  not  publickly,  before 
it  be  underjlood  j  nor  to  fet  up  their  own  pri^ 
'Date  Opinion  againft  the  publick  Senfe  of  the 
Church,  before  They  have  carefully  examin'd 
the  Cafe,  and  have  well  confidered  the  Strength 
and  Force  of  thofe  Reafons  upon  which  ihcpub- 
VoL.II.  E       '  lick 


66     The  Duty  required  in  chu/ing^ 

lick  DeciJio?is  were  founded.     Under  thefe  Re- 
JlriBions  and  Limitations,  a  Liberty  of  private 
'Judgment  (hould  be  dllow'd  to  All,  as  being  the 
common  and  undoubted  Right  of  all,  whether 
conlider'd  as  Chrijiians,  or  as  Men,    I  come  now, 
2.  To   confider  the  Rule  by  which  They 
are  to  proceed  in  the  Exercife  of  this  Right  or 
Duty,  of  proving  all  Things.     The  moft  Ge?te~ 
ral  and  Comprehenfive  Rule,  in  which  all  o- 
ther  Rules  center  and  terminate,  is  the  Rule  of 
right  Reafon.     Whatever,  upon  the  beft  and 
laft  Enquiry,  appears  to  be  ?noJl  reafonabky  That 
We  are  to  receive,   and  embrace  :  And  What 
appears  otherwije.  We  are  to  rejed:.     This  is  a 
Rule  fo  certain,  and  fo  indifputable   (when 
rightly  underftood)  that  it  is  fuppofed  in  all 
Debates,  and  feems  to  be  equally  allow'd  on 
,  all  Hands,   whether  by  arguing  for,  or  againft 
it.     For  What  do  Men  mean  by  argiditg  at  all 
either  Way,  but  to  make  Reafon  Umpire  in 
the  Queftion,    and,  taci-tely  at  leaft,  to  ac- 
knowledge, that  the  Left  Reafons  ought  ever  to^ 
prevail  in  it.     There  are  indeed  two  Kinds  of 
jMen,  who  feem  to  differ  from  Us  in  this  Ar- 
ticle :    One  advifes  to  refign  up  our  Reafon  to 
the  Didates  of  a  pretended  infallible  Chair;, 
tlie  Other  would  obtrude  their  own  Dreams 
upon  us  for  divine  Oracles ;  refolving  all  into 

I  know 


wtd  7'etaining^  our  Religion,      67 

I  know  not  what  fecret  Dicflates  or  Impulfcs  of 
the  Spirit.  But  the  wild  Inconliilency  of 
fuch  Pretences  is  alone  fafficient  to  deftroy 
them  :  For,  either  They  mufl  give  us  Kea- 
Jbns  for  What  They  pretend,  and  then  They 
plainly  fuppofe  the  very  Thing  which  Thev 
deny,  making  every  Man  a  Judge  for  Himfelf 
of  the  Force  and  Strength  of  thofe  Reafons  % 
and  how  far  He  ma)\  or  may  not  refign  Him- 
felf up  to  them  :  Or,  if  They  give  no  Rcajbns^ 
nor  pretend  any,  there  cannot  be  a  furer  To- 
ken of  the  Weaknefs  of  their  Plea,  and  of  their 
betraying  the  very  Caufe  which  They  are  la- 
bouring to  defend.  They  are  ufed  to  plead 
that  Human  Reafon  is  weak^  blind^  and  fallible ; 
liable  to  {\ind.^^  Mijlakes  -^  a  very  dangerous  Guide 
in  Matters  of  Religion  ;  fruitful  of  Herefies^ 
Schifms,  and  what  not.  Be  it  fo  :  Yet  how 
know  They  but  that,  in  TLrh  very  Argument 
whereby  They  would  perfwade  Us  to  lay  a  fide 
Reafon^  Reafon  may  be  as  blind ^  weak^  and 
treacherous^  as  in  any  other  ?  If,  therefore, 
there  be  any  Force  in  their  Argument,  it  mufl 
neceifarily  deftroy  it  {t\i y  proving  the  quite 
contrary  to  What  it  pretends,  or  proving  No- 
thing. Let  Reafon  be  fuppofed  ever  fo  blind 
and  fallible  -,  yet,  blind  as  it  is,  We  mufl  be 
content  to  fubmit  to  it,  or  to  fomething  blind- 
Vol.  II.  E  2  er  -, 


68     The  Duty  required  in  chuji72gj 

er ;  namely,  to  Humour,  or  Fancy ,  or  Pa/^ 
Jion,  or  the  Prejudices  of  Education.  But  after 
all,  there  is  no  fuch  Danger  as  fome  pretend 
from  the  Ufe  of  Reajbn  in  Matters  of  Religi- 
on, but  very  much  rather  in  the  Difufe  of  it. 
It  is  no  Part  of  Religion  to  lay  afide  the  Ufe 
of  our  Reafon  :  For,  beiides  the  Inconfiflency 
of  it  with  a  rational  Nature,  to  pretend  to 
unmake  the  Man,  in  order  to  make  the  Cirri- 
ftian  ;  there  is  this  farther  Abfurdity  in  it, 
that  to  difcard  Reafon  in  fuch  a  Senfe,  is  to 
difcard  Faith  too,  which  is  ultimately  built  up- 
on Reafon  :  For  We  ought  always  to  have  a 
Reafon  for  What  We  believe  :  And  without 
This,  it  would  not  be  true  Faith,  but  Pre- 
ftmption  rather,  or  blind  Credulity.  Faith  is  it 
felf  an  AB  of  Reafon,  as  really  and  truly  as  any 
other  Ajj'ent  founded  upon  Natural  Principles, 
For  Example,  We  believe  fuch  a  DodrrinCj 
becaufe  We  find  it  in  the  Scriptures  ;  We  be- 
lieve the  Scriptures,  becaufe  They  fpeak  the 
Mind  and  Will  o^  God -,  We  believe  They  do 
fo,  becaufe  They  have  been  proved  to  carry 
with  them  all  polTible  Marks,  outv/ard  and 
inward,  of  a  Divijie  Authority,  which  a  wife 
and  good  God  would  never  fuffer  to  be  fet  to 
2.r\y  Impoflu?-e,  to  lead  Mankind  into  "an  ^V/T^'/- 
table  Error  ;   So  that  if  God  be  true  and  juft, 

that 


a72d  retaining^  our  Religion.       69 

that  is,  if  there  be  a  God,  our  Faith  is  well 
grounded.  And,  now,  why  ifhould  not  an  Af- 
fent,  thw^  foimded  upon  the  iNature  and  Reafon 
of  things,  be  look'd  upon  as  an  A6i  of  Reafon^ 
as  well  as  any  Demonjiration  drav/n  from  un- 
doubted Axioms,  or  firft  Principles  ?  Is  there 
then  no  Difference^  may  Some  aflc,  between 
Faith  and  Science  ?  Yes,  certainly  there  is ;  but 
Thev  do  not  fo  differ,  as  if  One  were  the 
Work  of  Reafon^  and  the  Other  tiot :  Both  are 
the  Work  of  Rea/on,  only  with  This  Difference, 
that  in  Matters  of  Science ^  our  Affent  is  found- 
ed on  intrinfcli  Evidence,  or  the  Nature  of  the 
T^hifig  affented  to  ;  while  in  Matters  of  Faith, 
our  Affent  is  founded  on  extrinfick  Evidence, 
the  Authority  of  the  Revealer.  It  may  be  alk'd 
then.  Are  the  Articles  of  Faith  as  certain ^  and, 
as  demonftrable,  as  Matters  of.  Science  ?  I  an- 
fwer,  that  thus  far.  Whatever  God  re'veals  is 
triie^  is  as  clear  and  felf-coident  a  Principle  as 
2iny  Maxi?n  in  Science-,  and  Whatever  "has  a 
necefary  Connexion  v/ith  that  Frinciple^  or  is 
deducible  from  it,  is  ffridly  and  properly  de^ 
7nonflrable.  But  whether  "We  have  that  Cer- 
tainty, that  fuch  a  Proportion  is  revealed^  and 
that  We  iinderjiand  it  rightly  (Both  which  mufl: 
be  fuppofed  in  our  Affent  to  it)  is  more  difpu- 
table  j  and  therefore  it  is,  that  Matters  of  Faith 
E  3  generally 


^Sfi 


70     77je  Duty  required  in  chiipngy 

generally  fliU  fl:iort  of  Scient'ificalDemonflration, 
But  ftill  our  Aflent,  in  either  Cafe,  is  wrought 
out  by  Reafon  5  by  dcmonjirative  Reafons,  where 
the  Cafe  is  demonjlrabk  t,  by  probable  ones,  where 
probable  j  and  in  Both^  our  Jffent  is  an  AB  of 
Reafon.  If  it  be  faid  farther,  that  Faith  is 
built  upon  Teftimony,  and  therefore  not  upon 
Reafon ;  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  T^eftimony^ 
barely  confider'd  as  fuch,  is  not  the  Ground  of 
Faith ^  but  rather  the  Means  of  con'-oeying  it  : 
For  the  Reafons  why  We  think  the  Tefifier 
could  not,  or  would  not  deeei've  Us,  Thefe  are 
what  We  properly  build  our  Faith  upon  :  So 
that  an  Aflent,  founded  upon  Teflimony^  is  as 
properly  the  Refalt  of  Reafon^  if  it  has  any 
jufl:  Ground  at  all,  as  any  other  AflTent  what- 
foever.  From  This  Account  it  may  appear, 
how  little  Service  can  be  done  to  Faith^  by 
crying  down  Reafon,  rightly  underflood.  For, 
whatever  tends  to  weaken  the  Evidence  of 
Reafon,  mufl:  fo  far  tend  to  weaken  Faith  too, 
which  is  built  upon  it :  And  as  it  mufl  necef- 
farily  lead  to  Seepticifn,  in  Natural  Truths-,  fo 
mull  it  alfo  lead  to  Infidelity,  in  Religion.  Rea- 
fon and  Faith  therefore  are  by  no  Means  oppo- 
fite,  but  are  afjlflant  to^  and  perfe^ive  of  Each 
Other.  It  is  the  Strength  and  Glory  of  the 
befl  Religion,  to  have  always  the  bef  Reafons  to 


g9 


i 


and  retaining^  our  Religion,      71 

go  along  with  it.  Never  Any  Man  revolted 
from  the  true  Faith ^  but  He  revolted  as  much 
from  right  Reafon,  ^nd  abandon'd  Both  at  the 
fame  Time.  He  certainly  either  laid  down 
falfe  Principles ^  or  foxm' 6.  falfe  Conchifioin  from 
true  Ones,  and  was  in  Reality  as  weak  a  Rea- 
finer  as  He  was  a  Chrijlian.  True  Religion 
loves  to  be  examined  by  the  niceft  Reafon^  can 
abide  the  T^rial^  and  invites  All  Perfons  to  lay 
aiide  Prejudice,  Pride,  Lujis,  Pajfwns,  and  vile 
Affe6lions,  and  to  put  the  Matter  upon  a  fair 
Hearing  at  the  Bar  of  unbiafsd  and  impartial 
Reafin,  And  This,  give  me  leave  to  fay,  ever 
has  been,  and  will  be  the  Glory  and  Triumph 
of  our  excellent  Religion,  that  Her  Adverfa- 
ries,  with  all  their  vain  Pretences  to  Reafin, 
have  betrayed  the  greateft  Want  of  it,  and 
have  never  been  able  either  to  anfwer  her  Ar- 
guments, or  to  defend  their  own.  Let  Reafon 
then  be  our  Rule  for  proving  all  Thifigs  j  and 
let  That  be  received  as  fnoji  Credible,  which 
ftands  upon  the  firongeft  and  clearefi  Reafons. 

The  Ufe,  and  Application  of  This  Rule,  is 
of  wide  Compafs  and  vaft  Extent,  in  Matters 
of  Religion  3  and  is  either  Ge?ieral  or  Special. 

Firfi,  General,  in  diredling  Us  how  to  find 

out,    among  the  many  Pretenders,   ivhich  is 

the  true  and  right  Religign  3,  whether  Pagan, 

E  4  Jewip^^ 


7  2     ^he  Duty  required  in  chujing^ 

yewiJJj,  M.aho?nefan^ox:  Chrijlian ',  or,  fuppofing 
the  Chrifiian  to  be  (as  it  undoubtedly  is)  the 
befi:  of  the  Four,  then,  among  feveral  SeBs 
and  Parties  of  Chriftians,  which  of  them  is 
preferable  :  Whether  the  Greek  Church  or  the 
Roman,  whether  of  England  or  Geneva,  whe- 
ther of  Luther  or  of  Calvin,  and  fo  on.  Here 
our  Reajbn  has  a  large  Field  to  move  in,  in 
Order  to  dired:  and  guide  Us,  what  Religion 
to  be  of,  or  what  Church  to  join  Our  Selves  to. 
Secondly,  The  Ufe  of  Reafon  is  more  Speci- 
al, in  ftating  and  clearing  the  particular  Do- 
Brines  of  Chriftianity.  Chriftians  of  all  Sorts, 
however  divided  in  Opinions,  yet  plead  the 
fame  Scriptures  commonly  in  Defence  of  them ; 
Each  abounding  in  their  own  Senfe,  and  refo- 
iutely  adhering  to  their  own  ConJiruB ion,  or  I?2- 
tcrpretation.  And  what  can  give  Us  any  Light, 
or  what  can  lead  Us  to  the  'Truth  among  the 
contending  Parties,  but  the  laying  together 
and  confidering,  with  all  Sincerity  and  Im- 
partiality, the  Reajhns  offered  here,  or  there, 
refpedively  ?  This  muft:  be  the  Way  to  dif- 
cover  What  is  at  length  really  Scriptural,  and 
What  not  :  And  thus  it  is  that  We  may  be 
able  to  diftinguifli  the  vain  Fancies  and  Com- 
ments of  Men,  from  the  true  Mind  and  Will 
of  God.     Here  the  OfSce  of  Reafon  is  various 

and 


and  retaining^  our  Religion,      73 

and  manifold,  according  as  Scripture y  or  the 
Matters  it  treats  of,  are  fjiore  or  lefs  clear  and 
politive. 

In  fome  Points,  Scripture  is  very  plai?i  and 
clear,  and  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing  too  :  As 
in  the  moral  Dodrines  of  Chriflianity.  In  fuch 
a  Cafe,  Reafon  proceeds  upon  double  Evidencey 
extrinfick  and  intrinfick^  either  of  which  might 
il:and  iingle,  and  be  a  futiicient  Proof  of  the 
Thing.  But  Both  together  make  it  the  more 
indijputable ;  and  our  AfTent  refts  faft  and  firm 
upon  a  twofold  Foundation. 

Sometimes  Scripture  is  very  clear  and  exprefs^ 
but  the  Reafon  of  the  'Thing  dark  and  ohfcure ; 
as  in  the  venerable  Myft cries  of  our  Faith,  Here 
Reafo?i  proceeds  only  upon  extrinfick  Evidence, 
the  Authority  of  the  Revealer^  and  the  Proofs 
brought  to  fliew  that  This  is  revealed,  and 
This  the  Senfe  of  it  :  Not  pretending  to  fay 
hoWj  or  why  Thofe  Things  are,  but  that  they 
really  are^  becaufe  God  has  declared  them. 

In  other  Points,  Scripture  may  be  ohfcure 
or  flent^  but  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing  (taking 
in  What  Scripture  haselfewhere  plainly  affert- 
ed)  very  clear  and  manifeft^  as  in  the  Cafe  of 
Infant -Baptifm.  The  Ufe  of  Reafon  in  This, 
and  other  the  like  Cafes,  is  to  fliew  What  by 
Analogy y  or  Confequence^  tho'  not  direBly,  Scrip- 
ture 


74     ^^  Duf-y  required  in  chufitg^ 

ture  either  allows,  commands,  or  condemns. 
There  is  yet  a  fourth  Cafe  where  neither  Scrip-- 
ture  nor  the  Kcafon  of  the  Thing  are  clear ; 
Both  together  affording  only  dark  Hints  of 
What  is,  or  is  not  :  As  in  the  Cafe  of  Hea- 
thens ^  or  unbaptizcd  Infaiits ;  V^\\7it  their  Portiofi 
ihall  be  in  a  JVorld  to  come.  In  thefe,  and  the 
like  Cafi's,  there  is  Ground  only  for  a  probable 
Affent.  It  is,  however,  the  Bufuiefs  of  Kea- 
fon  to  lay  Things  carefully  together,  to  make 
the  beil  of  its  Materials,  and  to  lean  to  the 
jhfer^  or  more  chart  table  Side,  without  being 
too  pojltive,  or  dogmatical  in  Either.  Thus 
We  fee  how  the  Office  of  Rcafon  runs  through 
all  the  Parts  of  Religion,  and  is  very  fervice- 
able  to  it  j  directing  Us  how  to  form  our  Judg- 
ment, and  fix  our  Faith,  and  next  enabling 
Us  to  defend  it.  Thus  are  We  to  prove  and 
examine  all  Things,  fo  far  as  our  Abilities^  Lei- 
Jure  J  or  other  Circumflances,  permit :  But  We 
mufl  remove,  as  much  as  poffible,  every  Im- 
pediment which  may  obftruv^t  the  free  Exercije 
of  our  Reafon  j  fuch  as  Love  of  Novelty ,  or  a 
fuperjiitious  Veneration  for  Antiquity  ;  either 
too  great  Deference  to  Authority  on  one  Hand, 
or  too  little  on  the  other  ;  either  an  over-ivean- 
ijig  Regard  to  this  or. that  Church,  Secft,  or 
Party  ^  or  a  fupcrcilious,  Contempt  of,    and  in.- 

vcnom'4 


and  retaining^  our  Religio7i.        j  5 

venom'd  Hatred  againft  Any.  We  are  to  re- 
move all  fuch  Obftacles  to  free  and  mgenuous 
Enquiry,  and,  at  the  fame  Time,  to  take  in 
all  necejjary  Helps  for  the  due  Improvement  and 
Advancement  of  our  Underflandings.  Whsn^ 
by  the  careful  Obfervance  of  thofe  good  and 
wholfom  Rules,  We  have  done  our  Parts  in 
proving  all  Thiiigs ;  then  are  We  to  remember 
alfo  the  other  Precept  of  the  Text,  which  is, 

II. 

Tp  holdfafi  'That  which  is  good. 

After  due  Care  in  examining,  naturally  fol- 
low Wifdom  in  chujing,  and  Firmfiefs  in  refaip- 
ing  5  without  which  all  We  have  before  done 
becomes  vain  and  fruitlefs.  To  be  alwaysy^^^?:- 
ing  without  finding  the  Thing  we  want  3  To 
be  e'ver  karnifig^  and  never  able  to  come  to  the 
Knowledge  of  the  Truth-,  To  be,  like  Children, 
tojjed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every 
Wind  of  Dodirine,  is  but  a  mean  and  a  difpa- 
raging  Charadler,  neither  becoming  a  Chrifti- 
an  nor  a  Man.  Care  and  Caution  are  proper 
in  the  Entrance  to  the  Work  of  Faith :  But 
Refolution  and  Steddinefs  muft  help  it  on,  and 
carry  it  up  to  Perfection.  It  is  the  diflinguidi- 
ing  Mark  and  Property,  the  Pride  and  Glory 
9f  every  wife  and  good  Man,  not  to  be  foon 

f:akeii 


j6       The  Duty  required  in  chufing^ 

Jhaken  in  Mind-,  but  to  h^  Jiedfafi  and  immov- 
able,   after  He  has  once  well  deliberated,  and 

made  a  wife  Choice. Bat  here  it  may  be 

aflc'd,  Muft  We  then  unalterably  rejbhe,  after 
We  have  once  fettled  ovii  Opinions,  and,  as  We 
are  verily  perfwaded,  upon  good  ReaJ'ons,  ne- 
ver to  recede  the  leaft  Tittle  from  Them  ?  Mail 
We  turn  the  deaf  Ear  to  all  Reafons  or  Ar- 
guments offer'd  to  convince  us  of  a  prefumed 
Miftake,  or  to  convert  us  from  it  ?  There  is 
no  Man  of  fo  folid  and  corred  a  Judgment  but 
He  may  fometimes  err :  Few^  fo  careful  in 
their  -Enquiries,  but  Who,  at  fome  Time  or 
other,  may  take  a  Thing  for  Demonftration, 
which  hath  little  or  no  Ground  j  or  reiecft  Ano- 
ther Thing  as  falfe,  which  may  prove  a  cer- 
tain Truth.  And  then  it  is  notorious  that 
Mens  Judgments  commonly  ripen  wilh  their 
Years  j  and  They  may  often  fee  Reafon  to  ?-e- 
traB  fome  Things  which,  upon  the  beii  Rea- 
fon They  before  had.  They  might  think  it  ne- 
ceiTary  to  receive.  It  would  be  hard  to  pre- 
clude a  Man,  at  any  Age  of  his  Life,,  from 
growing  wifer ;  which  feems  to  be  the  Cafe, 
if  He  is  never  to  permit  any  Matter  of  his 
Faith  to  be  brought  in  Que u ion  before  Him, 
or  to  hear  what  may  be  fairly^  offered  againfl 
it.     WPiat  then  muft  be  done  in  This  Cafe  ? 

or 


and  retaining^  our  Religion,        yy 

or  how  far  are  we  to  carry  our  Rejblution,  and 
Stedfh/lnefs ,  in  What  We  have  once  made  the 
Subjed:  of  our  Belief?  To  This  I  anfwer,  that 
there  is  certainly  ^]ui\.  Medium,  a  golden  Mean, 
to  be  obferved  by  every  wife  and  good  Man, 
whether  in  his  religious,  or  fecular  Concerns. 
It  is  no  Reproach  to  any  Man's  Conjiancy,  fome- 
times  to  alter  his  ytidgrae?it,  or  'vary  his  Mea- 
JlireSj  in  Matters  of  Civil  Prudence.     And  fo 
neither  is  it  any  Reproach  upon  Chriftian  Sted- 
faflnefs,  fometimes  to  correct  ouv  former  Judg" 
merits,  or  to  alter  them  for  the  better.     But 
then,  as  in  fecular  Affairs  to  be  ever  unjieddy 
and  ifrefolute,  is  a  certain  Mark  of  a  very  weak 
Man  J  fo  in  7rligious  alfo,  is  it  a  certain  Token 
of  a  very  weak,  or  very  dijjolute  Chriftian.    And 
as  in  civil  Matters,  wife  Men  generally  have 
fixed  upon  fome  certain  Maxims,  fome  prime 
and  leading  Principles  of  Acftion,  which  They 
will  never  alter,  nor  fo  much  as  call  in  ^eftion 
all   their  Lives  after  5    So  alfo  in  our  religious 
Concernments,  every  wife  and  good  ChrilHan 
will  fix  upon  fome  plain  'SivA  fimdamental  Ar- 
ticles of  Faith,    which  He  will   never  after 
recede  from,  nor  fo  much  as  think  Himfelf  ob- 
liged to  hear   debated  and   canvas'd  a  fecond 
Time.     There  are  fome  Things  fo  clear  and 
evident  upon  the  firft  Examining,  that  it  will 

3  '       ^o^ 


yS       Tl^e  Duty  required  in  chujing^ 

not  be  neceflary  to  give  them  a  new  Hearing :  | 

All  pretended  Objections  againft  them,  may  j 

be  reafonably  rejedled  in  the  Lump,  as  not  | 

worth  the  Notice,  nor  deferving  a  wife  Man's  | 

Care,  after  He  is  oncQ  fully  eiilighten'd  with  a  j 

char  Fcrception  of  the  contrary  Truth. For  I 

Example :  After  a  Man  has  been  but  tolerably  ; 
inflruded  in  the  Grounds  of  the  Chriftian  Re- 
ligion ^  which  carries  fo  much  Force  and  Evi~  \ 
dence  in  it,  it  will  not  be  neceflary  to  allow  • 
Paganifm^  fudaifm^  o^  Mahomet anifm,  fo  much  \ 
as   a  Hearings  except  it  be  for  the  fake  of  i 
Others  only.  Who  may  want  to  have  Thofe 
Pretences  expofed  or  confuted.    The  like  may 
be  faid  of  Atheifts  or  Deijh :  The  Proofs  of  a  I 
God^  and  of  the  Chriftian  Revelation,  are  fo 
full  J  clear  y  and  frong,  that  after  a  Man  has  I 
once  feeninto  them,  He  need  not  ftay  to  de-  ; 
liberate,   or  wait    'till  He  has  examined  the  I 
contrary  Pretences ;  well  knowing  beforehand,  i 
that  They  can  have  no  real  Weight  or  Solidi-  ^ 
ty  in  Them.     As  to  other  Cafes,    This  Pro-  , 
cedure  is  juflifiable  more  or  lefs,    in  Proporti-  | 
on   to  the  greater  or  fmallcr  Evidence  upon 
which  any  Doctrine   is  founded.     And  fome  ' 
Allowance  mult  be  made  for  fuch  Doctrines  as  ' 
have  been  often  and  fully  debated  by  wife,  great,  j 
and  good  Men,  and  conftantly  determind  the  : 

fame  i 


and  retaining^  our  Religion.       79 

fame  Way.  There  is  a  flrong  Prefumption  in 
their  Favour,  that  they  are  moil  certainly 
true,  or  at  leafl  that  there  neither  is,  nor  can 
be  any  fufficient  Reafon  for  reje<3;ing  them  as 

falfe  3  and  that  therefore  They  may  very 
fafely,  and  juftly,  be  received  as  true,  without 
more  particular  Examination  ;  unlefs  there 
/hould  be  fome  Appearance  of  7iew  Lights  and 

,  additional  Evidence,  fuch  as  our  Predeceilbrs 
had  been  Strangers  to.  In  a  Word  then,  there 
may  be  Cafes  fo  plain  and  clear,  either  in  Faith 
or  Morality^  that  it  may  be  fufficient  to  exa- 
mine the  Proofs  upon  which  They  ftand,  with- 
out attending  to  the  OhjeBiom  on  the  other 
Side,  which  may  be  known  beforehand  to  be 
Nothing  elfe  but  Ca'vil^  and  TriPing.  And 
in  thefe  Cafes,  it  may  be  our  Duty  to  holdfafl 
T^hat  ivbich  is  good.,  without  fo  much  as  giving 
the  leafl  Ear  to  any  contrary  Pretences.  But 
then,  as  there  are  many  other  Cafes  of  a  more 
doubtful  Nature,  our  Obligations  to  hold  faf 
What  we  have  once  received,  mufl  admit  of 
this  ReJiriBion  of  Limitation,  that  we  be  ne- 
verthelefs  ready  and  willing  to  fubmit  the 
Caufe  to  Debate^  and  to  give  it  a  new  Hear- 
ing, In  fuch. a  Cafe  our  Ears  mufl  be  always 
open  to  Reafon  when  offer'd  in  due  Manner 
and  Form,  with  Sobriety ^  and  in  the  Fear  of 

God  ; 


8o       The  Duty  required  i?t  chujing^ 

God  :  And  there  We  are  to  take  Care  to  fuf- 
fer  Our  Selves  to  be  influenced  by  Reajb?is,  and 
Reafons  only:  Not  by  Humour,  or  Caprice,  or 
jP/V^'/<??/^  of  Temper  J  like  Some  Who,  for  the 
fake  of  one  prejjing  Difficulty,  will  give  up 
What  was  founded  on  many  plain,  and  co?i- 
*uincing  Reafons :  Not  by  Vanity  or  Self-conceit  j 
like  Some  Who  are  delirous  of  giving  up  old 
Truths,  only  becaufe  They  have  prevailed,  to 
become  the  Leaders  of  a  SeB,  and  the  Heads 
of  a  Party  :  Not  by  Ambition,  Avarice,  or 
vile  AffeBions ;  like  Many,  Who  mske  Ship- 
wreck of  their  Faith,  to  ferve  a  prefent  Turn, 
or  to  gratify  their  Lufls  and  Paflions :  Not  by 
Fear,  or  by  Complaifance ;  like  Thofe  Who 
have  no  Frinciples  of  their  own,  but  are  blind- 
ly led,  or  overawed  by  Others ;  Who  can  flit 
from  Church  to  Church,  from  Party  to  Par- 
ty, as  They  are  directed ;  prepared  to  be  of 
This,  or  That ,  or  of  All  Religions  5  and 
to  be  fincere  and  conflant  in  None.  In  a 
Word,  Nothing  hwlReafons,  and  ^^i?^ Reafons, 
will  ever  move  an  honeft  and  a  wife  Man  to 
change  his  Belief,  or  Perfwafion.  And  then 
indeed  to  change  is  the  truefb  Confiancy  -,  as  the 
parting  ivith  an  Error,  is,  in  reality,  the  hold- 
ing fafi  That  ivhich  is  good.  Only  This  We 
may  fay,  that  after  a  Man  has  once  deliberate- 


and  retaining^  our  Religion,        8i 

ly  made  his  Choice,  and  formed  hisPerfuafion, 
He  ought  then  to  lean  to  that  Side,  with  fome 
Degree  of  Aflurance  and  Confidence,  and  not 
to  be  apt  to  take  up  Scruples,  or  to  entertain 
Sufpicions  of  it.     Perfedt  Indifference  may  be 
the  proper  Temper  of  Mind  to  begin  with,  and 
to  continue  in,  during  the  Time  of  the  BiXa- 
mination ;  but  no  longer :   Afterwards,  it  will 
be  no  Fault,  but  a  Commendation  rather,  to 
lean  to  one  Side  more  than  to  another  3  and  to 
exped:  very  clear  2<.ndJirong  Reafons,  before  We 
are  prevailed  with  to  recede  from  it.    As  I  be- 
fore inftanced  in  the  Choice  of  Friends  -,  great 
Caution,  Diffdence,  Sufpicion,  and  Dijiruji,  are 
very  proper  and  neceffary  in  the  Choice :  But 
when  the  Choice  has  been  made,  it  would  be 
very  unreafonable  to  h^Jiill  full  of  Scruple  and 
Doubt,  or  not  to  confide  with  great  Aflurance 
in  Thofe  whom  we  hadyj  cautioujly  and  deli- 
berately chofen.     It  would  be  great  Injuftice 
towards  Them  to  be  iWWprone  lofufpeB  Them, 
or  not  to  be  partial  in  fome  Meafure,  in  their 
Favour,  requiring  very  full  and  clear  Reafons 
againft  Them,  before  We  entertain  any  Doubts 
of  Them. 

Such  is  the  Cafe  alfo  In  relation  to  Matters 
of  Vaith,  or  Principles  of  Meligion  once  deli- 
'    Vol.  II.  F  berately 


8  2       Hoe  Duty  required  in  chujing^ 

berately  receiv'd.  They  ought,  from  that 
Time  forwards,  to  be  allowed  all  favourable 
Prefumption,  and  Equity  of  Conftrudtion  : 
And  now  all  the  Jealoufy,  Diffidence,  and 
Diftruft  is  to  be  thrown  upon  the  other  Side, 
'till  very  plain  and  cogent  Reafons  can  be 
brought  to  overturn,  or  over-rule  That  which 
we  have  efpoufed. 

This  appears  to  be  the  true  and  right  Me^^ 
thod  of  avoiding  Both  the  Extremes  j  that  of 
implicite  and  uncautious  Credulity  on  one  Hand, 
or  of  Ficklenefs  and  defultorious  Levity  on  the 
other. 

Now  to  apply  very  briefly  What  hath  been 
here  faid,  to  our  own  particular  Cafe  and  Cir- 
cumflances.  As  many  of  us  as  are  here  prefent 
may  be  prefumed  to  hiivc  fixed  cur  Choice^  Firji^ 
of  the  Chrijiian  Religion^  in  Oppofition  to  Pa^ 
gan^  yewijl.\  or  Mahometan  :  And,  Secondly^ 
of  a  Reformed  Religion,  in  Oppofition  to  Po- 
pifi  Novelty  and  Superflition  :  And,  Thirdly^  of 
the  Religion  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  Op- 
pofition to  all  other  SeSls,  Parties,  or  De?io- 
jninations  of  reformed  Chriflians.  They  who 
have  examined  into  rhefe  three  Things,  know 
them  to  be  good:  And  They  who  have  not, 
ought  to  examine  fa  far  as  they  are  able,  that 

They 


and  retatnmg^  our  Religion,        ^-^ 

They  alfo  inay  know :  And  then  Nothing  re- 

,  mains  but  to  holi^  Themfqfl^  and  to  make  fult- 

able  Improvements  of  them  in  our  Lives  and 

Converfations.    Let  us,  then,  hold f aft  the  Fro- 

fejfton  of  our  Faith  without  wavering  (for  He  is 

faithful  that  promifed)  :   jind  let  Us  conftder  One 

,/inoiher  to  provoke  unto  Love  ^  and  to  good  Works'", 

»  Heb.  X.  23,  24. 


Vol.  IL 


F  2 


SERMON 


SERMON    V. 

Th&precife  Nature  and  Force  of  Chr  i  s  rs 
Argument,  founded  on  Exod,  iii.  6. 
againft  the  Sadducees, 


Luke  xx.  37,  38, 

NoWy  that  the  Dead  are  raifed,  even 
M.0 s,  z  s  Jhewed  at  the  Bujh^  when  He 
calleth  the  Lord^  The  God  of  Abra- 
H  A  M,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob:  For^  He  is  not  a  God 
of  the  Dead^  hut  of  the  Living  :  For 
All  live  to  Him^, 

H  E  S  E  Words  are  the  conclud- 
ing Part  of  oar  Lord's  Reply 
to  the  Sadducees,  a  libertine 
Scvftof  the  Jews,  Who,  (like 
the  Epicureans  before,  and 
other  Infidels  fince)   for  the  fake  only  of  in- 

F  3  dulging 

*  Conf,  Mitt,  xxii.  31.     Mark  xii,  26, 


86       Christ'j  Argwnent  agamjl 

dulging  their  Lufts,  and  to  remove  the  Dread 
of  an  After-reckoning,  thought  proper  to  re- 
jed  the  BeHef  of  a  ReJurre5lio?i,  and  a  Life  to 
come.     But  yet,  to  fave  Appearances,  and  to 
keep  up  an  outward  Shew  of  Religion  among 
their  Countrymen,  They  profefs'd  a  great  Re- 
gard to  the  fame  common  Scriptures,  as  the 
Oracles  of  God,  and  fought  out  Colours  from 
thofe  very  Scriptures,  whereby  to  countenance, 
or  feemingly  to  authorize,  their  wanton  and 
wicked  Opinions.     They  came  to  our  BlefTed 
Lord,  and  propounded  a  captious  Queftion  to 
Him,  grounded  upon  Moses'j  Law,  artfully 
infmuating,  as  if  Moses  Himfelf  muft  have 
been  in  their  Sentiments  j    For,  He  had  or- 
der'd  that  feveral  Brothers  in  Succeffion  (hould 
take  the  fame  furviving  Wife  :  A  Law  which 
feem'd   to  preclude  any  future  Refurre(f^ion  ; 
fince,  upon  That  Suppoiition,  there  could  be 
no  adjufting  the  contradi(5lory  Claims.     Whofe 
Wife^  faid  They,    is  fie  in  the  Refurj-eBion  ^ 
Our  BlelTed  Lord,  in  Reply,  corrected   their 
fond  Millake  in  judging  of  a  Life  to  come  by 
the   Life  that  now  is,    when  Circumilances^ 
would  be  widely  different.     In  this  World,, 
where  Mankind  go  off  and  die  daily,  there  is. 
a  Neceffity  of  a  conftant  and  regular  Succeffi- 
on to  fupply  the  Decays  of  Mortality :    But 

ia 


the  Sadducees,  87 

in  a  World  to  come,  where  None  die  any- 
more, the  Reafon  then  ceafes,  inafmuch  as 
there  will  be  no  Occafion  for  any  further  Sup- 
plies. Our  BlefTed  Lord,  by  thus  diftinguifhing 
upon  the  Cafe,  defeated  the  Objediion  :  But 
to  Ihew  farther,  how  ill  the  Sadducees  had 
contrived,  in  appealing  to  Moses  as  a  Favour- 
er of  their  Sentiments,  He  reminds  Them  of 
a  famous  PafTage  in  MosEs'i  Lav/,  which  was 
diretflly  contrary  to  their  Principles,  being  in- 
deed a  full  and  clear  Proof  of  a  RefurreSiion^ 
and  future  State.  Now^  that  the  Dead  are 
raifed^  (or  {hall  be  raifed)  e'oen  yio'^^%  fiewed 
at  the  Bufi,  when  He  calleth  the  Lord^  The  God 
of  Abraham,  ajid  the  God  of  Isaac,  a?td  the 
God  0/*  Jacob  :  For,  He  is  not  a  God  of  the 
Dead,  but  of  the  Living  ;  For  all  live  to  Him, 
In  difcourfing  upon  which  Words,  I  propofe 
more  particularly  to  coniider, 

I.  What  the  difiinguijlnng  Principles  of  the 
ancient  Sadducees  really  were. 

II.  Why  our  Lord  chofe  to  confront  Them 
with  a  Text  out  of  Moses'j  Writings,- 
rather  than  with  any  other  out  of  the 
Old  Teilament. 


III. 


88       Christ'^  Argument  againji 

III.  Wherein  precifely  the  Force  of  our 
Lord's  Argument^  built  upon  that  Text, 
confifts. 

I. 

As  to  the  Jirji  Article ;  The  diftingulfliing 
Principles  of  theSA  i>i>u  c  e  e  s  are  briefly  fumm'd 
up  by  St.  Luke  in  the  twenty-third  of  the 
A(fls,  Thus :  The  S  A  d  d  u  c  e  e  s  fay^  that  there  is 
710  KefurreBion^  neither  Angel  nor  Spirit  3  but  the 
Pharisees  confefs  Both^.  From  whence  We 
may  obferve,  that  the  Sadducees  did  not 
only  rejed  the  ReJiirreBion  of  the  Body,  but 
They  denied  a  Future  State  ;  They  did  not  al- 
low that  the  Soul  furvived  the  Body  :  They 
looked  upon  the  Do(^rines  of  a  Refurre6iion 
and  Future  State  to  be  fo  nearly  allied,  or  fo 
clofely  conneded  with  each  other,  that  they 
might  reafonably  be  conceived  to  ftand  or  fall 
together  :  Wherefore  They  denied  Both  j  as, 
on  the  other  Hand,  the  Pharisees  admitted 
Both.  For  if  the  Saul  furvived  th^  Body,  it 
was  very  natural  to  fuppofe,  that  fome  time  or 
-other  the  Body  would  be  again  raijed  up,  and 
re-united,  to  make  a  whole  Man :  But  if  the 
Soul  died  with  the  Body,  it  was  obvious  to  in- 
fer, there  \YOu\dhc  no Refurre^ion -,  fmce  That 

would 

*  Ads  xxiii.  S. 


the  Sadducees*  Z^ 

would  amount,  in  fuch  a  Cafe,  to  a  new  Cre^ 
ation,  rather  than  a  RefurreBion  properly  fa 
called,  and  the  Parties  fo  raifed  would  not  be 
the  fame  Perfons  as  before.  This  obfervable 
Connexion  of  the  two  feveral  Do6lrines  feems  to 
have  made  the  Sadducees  Atny  Both  ;  And 
the  Confideration  thereof  will  be  of  Ufe  to 
Us  in  explaining  the  Force  of  our  Lord's  Ar- 
gument ;  as  will  be  feen  in  the  Sequel. 

There  is  one  noted  Difficulty  in  St.  Luke *s 
Account  of  the  Sadducees,  relating  to  their 
Denial  of  the  Exiftence  of  Angels.  Other 
Accounts  of  Jewifh  Writers  are  lilent  on  that 
Head ;  and  it  might  feem  very  needlefs  for  the 
Sadducees  to  clog  their  Caufe  with  it,  lince 
it  Was  fujicient  for  their  Purpofe,  to  rejedt  on- 
ly the  feparate  Subjijience  of  Human  Souk  -,  and 
it  is  odd  that  They  (hould  run  fo  flatly  counter 
to  the  Hiftory  of  the  Old  Teftament  (which 
is  full  of  What  concerns  Angels)  v/hen  They 
had  really  no  great  Neceffity  for  it,  nor  Temp- 
tation to  it,  fo  far  as  appears.  But,  perhaps. 
They  thought  it  the  ihorteft  and  fureil  Way, 
to  reject  the  whole  Dodirine  of  Spirits^  or,  at 
leaft,  of  created  Spirits,  and  fo  to  fettle  in 
Matenalifnij  after  the  Example  of  fome  Pagan 
Philofophers ;  and  therefore  they  at  once  dif- 
carded  both  Angels  ^nd  Jeparate  Souls :   And 


go       Christ'^  Argu7nent  againji 

as  to  the  Old  Teflament  {landing  diredly  a- 
gainft  Them,  with  refpedt  to  Angels ;  there  are 
fo  many  various  Ways  of  playing  upon  Words, 
efpecially  in  dead  Writings,  that  Men,  refo- 
lute  to  maintain  a  Point  (whatever  it  be)  can 
never  be  at  a  Lofs  for  Evasions.     This  appears 
to  be  a  fair  Account  of  the  whole  Cafe,  if  it 
be  certain  that  St.  Luke  is  to  be  underftood 
of  their  denying  Angels^   properly   fo  called. 
Neverthelefs,  I  apprehend,  there  may  be  fome 
Reafon  to  queftion  whether  He  might  not  ufe 
the  Word  in  a  particular  Senfe^  fo  as  to  meari 
no  more  by  it  than  a  Human  Soul,     It  is  cer- 
tain, that  the  Pagan  IVriters,  before  his  Time, 
had  been  ufed  to  give  the  Name  of  Angeh  to 
good  Souls  departed',  and,  that  the  Jews  alfo 
fometimes  did  the  fame,    may  appear  from 
the  Writings  of  Philo  the  Je-w,  who  lived  in 
that  Age.    Poffibly,  St. Luke,  knowing  that 
the  Word  Angel  had  been  fo  ufed,  might  mean 
only  to  fay,  that  the  Sadducees  rejected  the 
Dodtrine  of  the  RefurreBion^  and  the  other 
Dotf^rine  of  feparate  Souls ^  whether  called  An- 
gels^ as  by  Some,  or  Spirits  only,  as  by  Others* 
There  is  another  Place  in  this  Book  of  the 
A^s,  where  the  Word  A?tgel  feems  to  have 
been  ufed  in  the  like  improper  Senfe  >  when 
Some,  fpeaking  of  Peter  confidently  report- 
ed 


the  Sadducees.  gs 

ed  to  be  at  the  Door,  and  the  Thing  was 
thought  impoffible,  faid,  It  is  his  Angela ;  as 
much  as  to  fay,  It  is  his  Ghofi  :  For  they  had 
Reafon  to  beUeve,  that  He  had  been  executed 
by  that  Time.  I  am  aware,  that  Interpreters 
give  quite  another  Glofs  to  that  Paflage  :  But 
'tis  obvious  to  obferve  withal,  how  much  They 
are  perplex'd  with  it,  and  how  difficult  it  is  to 
make  tolerable  Senfe  of  the  Place  in  their 
Way,  or  in  any  Way,  excepting  fuch  as  I  have 
mention'd. 

However,  I  would  be  underftood  to  offer 
this  other  Interpretation,  as  ConjeSture  only, 
and  as  tending  to  clear  up  fome  noted  Diffi- 
culties in  St.  Luke'j  Account  of  the  Saddu- 
c  E  E  s,  in  the  eafiefl  Manner  j  while  We  do  not 
want  a  Solution  of  them,  if  This  fl:iould  not 
fatisfy  J  for  I  have  my  felf  given  one  before  : 
But  if  this  fecond  Solution,,  which  I  have  here 
offered,  appears  preferable  to  the  other ;  We 
may  then  acquit  the  8  ad  d  u  c  e  e  s  of  the  Charge 
of  difcarding  Angels^  properly  fo  called,  and 
condemn  Them  only  as  rejeding  a  Refurre. 


Ti- 


I- 


o?2^  and  a  Future  State.  This  Account  will 
appear  the  better,  when  it  is  conddered  tha.t 
St.  Luke  fays,  the  Pharisees  admitted  5(5/Z'. 
Both  what  ?    There  had  been  Th7-ee  Things 

mention 'dj 

«  -  J 


92     C  ti  R I  s  t'^  Argument  againfi 

mcntion'd,  if  Angel  makes  a  diJiinB  Article  : 
But  if  Angel  there  means  no  more  than  an  Hu- 
man Soul,  then  the  Articles  are  reduced  to 
*Two  only,  and  fo  it  was  very  proper  to  fay. 
Both  ;  namely,  both  the  RefurreSlion,  and  the 
feparate  State  of  the  Soul, 

However  That  be,  (for  I  would  not  dwell 
long  upon  a  By-point)  This  is  certain,  that 
the  Captious  Queftion  put  to  our  Lord,  and 
his  Anfwer  to  it,  concerned  only  the  Cafe  of 
Mankind,  and  had  Nothing  to  do  with  Angels, 
The  Point  in  Difpute  was  only  This :  Whether 
Men  fhould  Ihe  again  after  Death,  and  live  in 
the  Body ;  which  tho'  feemingly  Two  Points, 
yet  in  effed:  amounted  but  to  One,  as  I  before 
obferved. 

II. 

I  proceed  now.  Secondly,  to  inquire,  why 
our  BlefTed  Lord  chofe  to  confront  the  S ad- 
duce es  with  aTextoutof  MosEs'j  Writings, 
rather  than  out  ©f  any  other  Part  of  the  Old 
Teftament.  For  it  is  thought,  that  there  are 
feveral  other  Texts  there,  plainer  and  more  ex- 
prefs  to  the  Purpofe,  than  That  which  our 
Lord  has  cited,  as  perhaps  there  are ;  for  I 
need  not  difpute  that  Point,  or  run  out  into 
Gomparifons. 

2  Some 


the  Sadducees.  to^ 

Some  have  given  it  in  for  a  Reafon  of  our 
Lord's  Choice  5  that  Moses V  Books  were  the 
only  ones  which  the  Sadducees  received  as 
Canonical  Scripture.     But  the  Fad  is  difputable 
at  leafl,  if  not  certainly  falfe.     Others  fay, 
that  our  Lord  chofe  to  confute  Them  out  of  the 
Book  of  the  Law,  as  being  of  prime  Value, 
and  of  greateft  Authority  :    And  That  indeed 
is  a  Confideration  which  is  not  without  its 
Weight.    But  yet  I  humbly  conceive,  that  We 
have  no  Occalion  to  look  far  for  Reafons,  when 
the  Text  it  felf,  with  what  goes  along  with  it, 
fufficiently  accounts  for  the  whole  Thing.  The 
Sadducees  had  formed  their  ObjeBiofi  upon 
t]\Q  Books  of  Moses,  claiming  Moses  as  a  Vou- 
cher on  their  Side.     In  fuch  a  Cafe,  it  was 
extremely  proper,  and  pertinent  (if  it  could  be 
done)  to  confute  the  Men  from  Moses  Him- 
felf :  It  was  vindicating  Moses'^  Writings,  at 
the  fame  Time  that  it  was  doing  Juftice  to  an 
important  Truth  :    And  fo  it  was  anfwering 
two  very  coniiderable  Ends,    Both  at  once. 
Our  BlefTed  Lord  therefore  applied  Himfelf 
entirely  to  the  clearing  up  Moses'j Sentiments 
in  that  Article,  and  He  effeded  it  two  Ways : 
Firft  by  obferving,that  what  the  Sadducees 
had  cited  from  Him,  did  not  prove  what  They 
wiih'd  fors   and,   Secondly,  by  fhewing  that 

what 


94       C  H  R I  s  t'^  Argument  againjl 

what  He  had  taught  elfewhere^  fully  and  clear- 
ly difproved  it.  Our  Lord  perhaps  might  have 
found  either  in  the  Pfalms^  or  in  the  Prophets ^ 
many  other  as  clear,  or  clearer  Texts  to  prove 
a  ReJurreBton^  or  Future  State :  But  all  of  them 
together  would  not  fo  well  have  fuited  his  Pur- 
pofe,  as  one  Text  out  of  Moses;  becaufe  They 
would  not  have  been  fo  well  fitted  to  turn  off 
the  Edge  of  the  ObjeBion  here  brought.  They 
might  have  ferved  to  ballance  it,  or  over-rule 
it,  and  to  break  its  Force  ;  but  the  Way  which 
our  Lord  took,  difabled  it  at  once,  and  threw 
it  quite  out,  that  it  fhould  rife  up  no  more. 
So  then,  if  We  confider  Him  merely  as  main- 
talning  a  Pofition^  He  might  perhaps  have  cho- 
fen  fome  clearer  or  flronger  Texts  5  but  if  We 
confider  Him  in  Capacity  of  Re/pondefit,  and 
as  defeating  a  fubtle  and  plaufible  Objedion, 
there  could  not  have  been  a  more  effectual 
Way  of  doing  it  :  And  He  very  well  knew, 
that  fometimes  the  hitting  off  an  Objedlion  in 
a  neat,  clear,  and  flrong  Manner,  has  more 
Weight  with  the  Generality,  than  the  pour- 
ing in  many  Demonflrations  on  the  other  Side, 
Accordingly  we  find,  by  the  Event,  how  well 
the  Thing  anfwered.  TheSADDUCEES  were 
effedlually  put  to  Silence  :  So  fenfible  were 
They  of  the  Force  of  what  He  had  faid.    The 

2  Scribes, 


the  Sadducees.  5^ 

Scribes,  They  highly  applauded  it,  and  com- 
plimented Him  upon  it,  Mafier^  Thou  hafi 
ijuell  faid^.  And  even  the  Common  People 
readily  underilood  the  Strength  of  his  Reafon- 
ing,  and  mightily  admired  it,  and  afTented  to 
it:  For,  St.  Matthew  tells  us,  th^tt  wben 
the  Multitude  heard  it,  They  were  qftonijldd  at 
his  DoBrine,  on  that  Head  b. 

III. 

Come  We  therefore.  Thirdly^  to  confider 
the  Force  of  our  Lord's  Argument,  which  was 
then  fo  clearly  apprehended,  at  iirft  Hearing, 
by  Learned  and  Unlearned,  by  Friends  and 
Adverfaries,  and  admired  by  All.  We  may 
judge  from  thence,  that  it  requires  no  long 
Train  of  Thought  to  comprehend  it,  no  in- 
tenfe  Application  to  be  Mafter  of  it,  if  We 
happen  to  take  it  right.  But  It  may  be  Rea- 
fon  fufficient  for  rejeBing  any  Interpretation, 
if  It  appears  laboured  and  fubtle,  and  not  well 
accommodated  to  ordinary  Capacities.  Let 
us  fee  then  :  The  Words  which  th^  Argu- 
ment is  grounded  upon,  occur  in  the  Sixth 
Verfe  of  the  Third  Chapter  of  Exodus.  I  am 
the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Is  aac, 

find  the  God  of  Jacob.  • I  am,  not,  I  was  : 

God 

^.^  ,  *  l^uke  XX,  39,  ''Matt.  xxii.  33. 


g&      ChristV  Argument  againjl 

God  was  then  God  of  thofe  three  Patriarchs, 
the  Lateft  of  which  had  been  ^^^^  above  170 
Years  ;  flill  He  continued  to  be  their  God. 
What  could  That  mean  ?  Is  He  a  God  of 
lifelefs  Clay,  of  moulder'd  Carcafes,  of  Duft 
and  Rottennefs  ?  No  fure  :  Belides,  with  what 
Propriety  of  Speech,  could  the  Afhes  of  the 
Ground  be  yet  called  Abraham,  or  Isaac, 
or  Jacob  ?  Thofe  Names  are  the  Names  of 
Ferfons,  not  oi  fenjelefi  Earth,  and  Per  fori  al- 
ways goes  where  the  Intelligence  goes ;  There- 
fore AbrahaMjIsaac,  and  Jacob  were  ftill 
livi?2g  and  intelligent,  fomewhere  or  other, 
when  God  declared,  He  was  flill  their  God  -, 
that  is  to  fay,  They  were  alive  as  to  then- 
better  Part,  their  Souls  j  He  is  not  a  God  of  the 
Dead,  but  of  the  Living  :  Therefore  the  Soul 
furvives  the  Body  :  Therefore  the  Sadducees, 
who  denied  the  feparate  Subfifience  of  Souls  or 
Spirits,  were  confuted  at  once,  and  That  by  a 
very  clear  and  plain  Text,  produced  eyen  fron:i 
the  Books  of  Moses. 

But  It  will  here  be  al\*d,  How  does  This 
prove  The  RefurreBion  of  the  Body,  which  was 
the  Point  in  Queflion  ?  I  anfwer,  That  was 
not  the  o?7ly  Point,  nor  the  main  Point,  though 
it  follows  This  other,  as  I  fhall  {hew  prefent- 
iy  :  But  We  may  obfcrve,  in  the  mean  while, 

that 


tie  Sadducees.  97 

that  if  The  Argument  really  reach'd  no  farther 
than  what  I  have  mention'd^  yet  it  was  a  very 
confiderable  Point  gain'd,  and  the  reft  was  not 
worth  difputing  ^  or,  however,  the  Sadducees 
would  not  difputc  it.  What  They  were  afraid 
of,  was  a  future  Accoufit :  Now,  whether  it 
be,  that  Men  fhall  give  an  Account  in  the  Body, 
or  without  the  Body^  it  would  come  much  to 
the  fame  ;  for  ftill  there  would  be  an  Account 
to  be  given,  and  there  would  remain  the  like 
dreadful  Apprehenfion  of  a  Judgment  to  come. 
Here  lay  the  main  Strefs  of  the  Difpute ;  and 
therefore  when  our  Lord  had  undeniably  prov- 
ed a  Future  State,  He  had  gone  to  the  very 
Root  of  the  Sadducean  Principles  -,  and  if  They 
once  yielded  thus  far.  They  might  readily 
grant  the  reft.  Our  Blefted  Lord  knew  the 
Men  thoroughly,  and  took  the  ftiorteft  Way 
of  confuting  them,  by  ftriking  at  the  very 
Heart  of  their  Herefy.  If  He  proved  no 
more  than  the  Soul'sjhb/ifting  after  Death,  He 
proved  enough  to  make  the  reft  needlefs :  For, 
as  the  Principles  of  the  Sadducees  hung  all 
in  a  Chain,  the  breaking  but  one  Link  ren- 
dered the  whole  unferviceable.  Admit  but  of 
a  Future  State,  and  then  their  fond  Hopes  were 
defeated,  and  their  guilty  Fears  alarm'd  3  and 
Vol.  IL  G  it 


9^       Chris tV  Argument  agaiitfl 

it  was  all  to  no  Purpofe  for  Them  to  contend 
any  farther  upon  that  Head.  This  our  Lord,, 
being  a  Difcerner  of  the  Thoughts,  perfedly 
knew ;  and  fo  by  aiming  his  Darts  aright.  He 
at  once  filenc'd  the  Men,  and  quaflied  the  Dif- 
pute.  Such  was  his  conftant  Way  in  all  his 
Conteils  with  his  captious  Adverfaries  :  He  in- 
ftantly  perceived  where  the  whole  Strefs  of  the 
Caufe  lay,  and  there  pointed  his  Replies  with 
inimitable  Force.     But  to  proceed  : 

Though  the  Argument  made  Ufe  of  by  our 
Lord,  proved  no  more,  direBly^  than  What  I 
have  faid  (and  even  That  was  enough)  yet  it 
might  be  eafy  to  proceed  upon  it,  'till  it  would 
at  length  coiiclude  in  the  DocTtrine  of  a  Refur^ 
reBion,  to  make  all  compleat.  For,  if  it  be 
confidered,  that  Death  was  the  Timijhment  of 
Sin,  and  that  Every  Perfon,  remaining  under 
that  Sentence,  and  under  the  Dominion  of 
Death,  flill  carries  about  Him  the  Badges  of 
t\it  Jirji  T^ranjgrefjiony  and  the  Marks  of  Di- 
vine Difpleafure ;  I  fay,  the  Cafe  being  fo, 
it  cannot  reafonably  be  fuppofed  that  the  Souh 
of  good  Men,  whom  God  has  own'd  for  his^ 
fliall  for  ei^er  remain  in  that  inglorious  State  ; 
but  will  fome  Time  or  other  be  rejlored  to 
their Jirji  Honours,  or  to  What  They  were  firft 

or- 


the  Sadducees.  gi) 

ordain'd  to  in  Paradife,  before  ^'in  entred. 
Wherefore,  fince  God  is  pleafed  to  acknow- 
ledge Himfelf  flill  God  of  Ab  r  ah  am,  Is  a  a  c, 
and  Jacob  j  it  is  highly  reafonable  toprefume, 
that  He  will  in  due  time  reftore  Them  to  their 
criginal  Privileges,  removing  from  Them  the 
Chains  of  Death,  by  re-uniting  Soul  and  Bo- 
dy together  in  a  happy  and  glorious  Refur^ 
reBion.  Thus,  the  fame  Thread  of  Argu- 
ment, which  our  Lord  began  with,  and  which 
dire5llj  proves  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul,  does 
alfo  in  Conclulion  lead  us  on,  by  juft  and 
clear  Confcquences,  to  the  ReJurreSfion  of  the 
Body. 

It  m.ay  perhaps  be  objeded,  that  the  Argu*- 
ment  thus  explained,  proves  only  th^Lt  good  Souls 
fliall  furvive,  and  receive  their  Bodies  new 
raifed  ;  not  that  the  wicked  fhall ;  and  There- 
fore The  Sadducees  were  not  intirely  confuted. 
But,  fince  the  ??iain  Principle  of  the  Saddu- 
cees was,  that  NG?:e  at  all  do  fo  furvive  j  They 
are  abundantly  confuted  by  proving  that  Some^ 
at  leafl,  do  ;  and  every  Man's  common  Senfe 
will  eafiiy  fupply  the  reft  :  For  if  good  Men 
fubfift  after  Death,  and  are  to  be  amply  re- 
warded for  their  Obedience ;  Who  can  make 
any  Queftion,  but  that  the  ^wicked  alfo  fhall 
Vol.  II.  G  2  fub- 


I  oo      C  H  R I  s  t'j  Argument  againjl 

fubfifl,  to  receive  the  Reward  of  their  Difohe- 
dience  ?  Thofe  two  Points  have  fo  natural  a  Re^ 
-  lation  and  Congruity  together,  that  They  imply, 
or  infer  each  other  ^  and  the  proving  Either ,  is 
in  effedl  proving  Both,  That  the  S adduce es 
well  knew  j  and  therefore  in  order  to  avoid 
One,  They  faw  no  other  Way  but  to  rejed: 
Both :  Therefore,  when  our  BlelTed  Lord  had 
f(^,  plainly  eflablifhed  one,  He  might  be  under- 
flood,  by  certain  Inference  and  Implication, 
to  have  eftabliflied  the  other  alfo» 

I  have  but  one  Thing  more  to  obferve  upon 
the  Text ;  namely,  that  Some  Perfons  have 
prefumed  to  argue  from  the  Words,  For  all 
live  to  Him,  that  Souls  do  not  adually  live  in 
a  feparate  State,  but  only,  that  dead  Men  fliall 
be  recalled  to  Life,  and  that  for  ihs  prefent 
they  live  only  in  God's  Decree,  and  in  a  meta- 
phorical Sen(e  :  But  This  is  a  forced  Conftrudi- 
on  of  very  plain  Words,  without  Reafon,,  or 
Foundation  for  it.  To  live  to  God,  is  a  Phrafe 
which  is  to  be  underflood  in  Oppofition  to 
living  in  the  Flejlo,  or  living  unto  this  World : 
And  it  is  of  the  fame  Import  with  What  We 
rneet  with  in  Ecckjiajles,  where  it  is  faid,  The 
Spirit  fiall  return  unto  God  who  gave  it  a ;  or 

with 
«  Ecd.  xii.  r* 


the  Sadducees*  tdx 

with  That  of  the  Book  of  Wifdom T:he 

Souls  of  the  Righteous  are  in  the  Hands  of  Go d^. 
This  is  what  is  meant  by  living  to  God:  They 
are  under  his  Eye,  and  within  his  Protedlion, 
in  the  invifible  World,  after  having  taken  their 
Farewel  of  This :  In  fhort,  when  They  have 
done  with  the  Life  that  now  is,  They  yet  re- 
main, and  are  ahve  unto  God,  enjoying  his 
Frefence,  and  rejoycing  in  his  Favour  and  Pro* 
tedion. 

The  Sum  then  of  what  has  been  faid  is. 
That  the  Soulo£  Man  is  of  a  Subilance  difl:in(5t 
from  the  Body  -,  that  it  fubffls  in  a  feparate 
State,  after  the  animal  'Diffolution,  and  never 
dies  ',  and  laftly,  that  All  Men  fhall  one 
Day  rife  again  with  their  Bodies^  and  ihall  give 
Account  for  their  own  Works.  The  praBical 
TJfe  of  thefe  Principles  is  obvious ;  that  lince 
a  future  Judgment  is  certain  and  inevitable,  and 
that  diibelieving  it  (with  the  Sadducees  of  old, 
or  with  Others  fince)  can  do  a  Man  no  Ser- 
vice, except  it  be  to  fwell  the  fad  Account ; 
and  fince  .there  is  no  poffible  Way  of  fencing 
againft  it,  but  by  taking  all  due  Care  to  be 
provided  for  it ;  fince  thefe  Things  are  fo.  The 
befl,  and  indeed  the  only  Expedient  v/e  have 
to  trufl  to,  is  to  lead  a  good  Life ^  to  endeavour 
G  3  after 

»  V/ifd.  iii.  I.   ' 


io2       Christ'^  Argument^  &;c, 

after  univerfal  Righteoufnefs,  both  of  Faith 
and  Manners :  So  may  We  be  able  (in  and 
through  the  all-prevailing  Merits  of  Christ) 
to  abide  the  tremendous  Judgment,  and  be  re- 
ceived with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob, 
into  thofe  blefled  Maniions  which  God  has 
prepared  for  as  Many  as  fmcerely  love  Him^j 
and  keep  his  Commandments. 


SERMON 


SERMON   VI. 

A  good  Life  the  fureft  Title  to  2igood 
Confcience, 


I  JoH  N  ill  2I5  22. 

Beloved^  if  our  Heart  condemn  Us  noty 
then  have  We  Confidence  towards  God : 
And  whatfoever  We  asky  We  receive  of 
Him^  becaufe  We  keep  his  Command- 
7nentSy  and  do  thofe  Things  that  are 
pleafing  in  his  Sight, 

iHESE  Words  will  lead  Me  to 
treat  of  the  Nature  and  Quali- 
ty of  a  good  Confcience^  and  the 
Comforts  of  it.  The  Apoftle 
had  been  before  fpeaking  of  af- 
furing  our  Hearts  before  God  by  the  ftrongeft 
Evidences  poffible,  by  a  true  and  unfeigned 
Love  of  the  Brethren.     Hereby,  fays  He,  JVe 

G  4  know. 


104      A  good  Life  the  fur  eft  Title 

knoWy  that  We  are  of  the  Truth -,  and  fiall  of* 
jure  our  Hearts,  that  is,  pacify  our  Confcien- 
ces,  before  Him.  Then  He  adds,  for  if  our 
own  Hearts  condemn  Us,  God  will  much  more 
condemn  Us :  inafmuch  as  God  is  greater  than 
our  Hearts,  his  Knowledge  is  of  greater  Ex- 
tent than  Ours,  He  knoweth  all  Things.  But 
if  our  Hearts  condemn  Us  not,  after  clofe  and 
impartial  Examination  of  our  Condudt,  then 
have  JVe,  with  good  Reafon,  Confidence  towards 
X^od',  not  doubting  but  that  He  will  freely 
^v2intWhatfoever  We  may  properly  ajk  of  Him, 
fo  long  as  We  keep  his  Commandments^  doing 
thofe  Thi?2gs  that  are  pleafing  in  his  Sight.  Such 
appears  to  be  the  Tour  or  Turn  of  the  ApoHle's 
Sentiments,  collected  from  the  Text  and  Con- 
text.  In  difcourfing  farther,  it  may  be  proper, 

I.  To  ftatg  the  Nature  and  ^lality  of  a  fure 
Confcience^  or  clear  Confciencey  or  What 
We  commonly  call  a  good  Confidence, 

II.  To  fet  forth  the  Advantage  and  Comfort 
of  it. 

I. 

The  "Nature  of  Oifiure  or  clear  Confidence  ought 
to  be  firft  juMy  ftated,  left  We  fhould  millake 
Shadow  for  Subftance,  Appearances  for  Rea- 
lities, Prefumption  and  vain  Confidence,  for 

Truth 


to  a  good  Confcicnce.         105 

Truth  and  Sobernefs.  The  Apoftle  points  out 
the  general  Nature  of  a  good  Confcience  by  this 
Mark  3  that  our  Hearts  condemn  us  not^  and  that 
We  know  that  We  are  of  the  Truth ;  know  it 
by  fome  certain  Rule,  namely  by  This,  that 
Ws  keep  God's  Commandments,  doing  That  which 
is  f  leafing  in  his  Sight.  Here  is  a  Rule  given 
whereby  We  may  firft  meafure  our  ConduB  ; 
And  if  our  Conduct  be  found,  upon  a  juft  Ex- 
amination, to  fquare  with  'That  Rule^  then  our 
Cofifciences  are  clear,  and  We  may  look  up  with 
a  becoming  Confidence  to  God.  This  is  a 
Matter  of  great  Weight,  and  of  the  laft  Im- 
portance :  And  yet  there  is  no  where  more 
Room  for  Self- Flattery,  and  Self-Deceit.  It 
is  extremely  natural  for  a  Perfon  to  bring  in  a 
Verdidl  in  Favour  of  Himfelf,  when  He  has 
made  no  Examination  at  all,  or  a  very  fuper- 
ficial  one,  or  however  not  fo  ftricl  and  fevere 
a  Scrutiny  as  an  Aifair  of  fuch  Delicacy,  and 
withal  of  fuch  Moment,  deferves.  A  Man 
will  often  call  it  ad:ing  according  to  his  Con^ 
Jcience,  when  He  adls  according  to  his  prefent 
Perjwafion,  without  ever  examining  how  He 
came  by  that  Perfwaiion ;  whether  through 
wrong  Education,  Cuflom,  or  Example;  or 
whether  from  fome  fecret  Luft,  Pride,  or  Pre- 
judice, rather  than  from  the  Rule  of  God's 

written 


3[C6      ^'good  Life  thefurejl  Title 

written  Word,  or  from  a  Principle  of  right 
Reafon.  This  cannot  be  juftly  called  keeping 
2,  good  Confcience  :  For,  We  ought  not  take  up 
falfe  Ferjwafiom  at  all  Adventures,  and  then  to 
mi.ke  thofe  PerfwaJjo?is  our  Rule  of  Life,  in- 
ftead  of  that  Rule  which  God  hath  given  us 
to  walk  by. 

It  may  perhaps  be  faid,  that  St.PAUL  Him- 
felf  has  warranted  that  Way  of  fpeaking  :  For, 
though  He  had  once  very  wrongfully  and 
grievouily,  under  rafj  ^wA  falfc  Perlkvafio??^  per- 
fecuted  the  Church  of  God,  yet  He  fcrupled 
not  to  fay,  upon  a  certain  Occaiion,  afterwards. 
Men  and  Brethren,  I  have  Irccd  in  all  good  Con- 
fcience  before  God,  until  this  Day^.  But  as 
there  is  no  Necciiity  of  conftniing  the  Words 
in  that  large  Senfe ;  fo  there  are  good  Reafons 
to  perfvvade  us,  that  St.  Paul  had  no  fuch 
Meaning.  How  frequently  does  He  charge 
Himfelf,  in  his  Epiilles,  as  having  been  a  ve- 
ry gi-ievous  Sinner,  yt?L  chief  of  Sinners^,  on 
Account  of  his  having  once  perfecuted  the 
Church  of  God  ?  How  then  could  He  mo- 
del^ ly  pretend,  or  with  Truth  fay,  that  He 
had  lived  in  all  good  Confcience,  all  his  Life,  to 
that  Day  ?  At  other  Times,  whenever  the  fame 
Apoflle  fpeaks  of  his  having  a  good  Confcience, 

He 


to  a  good  Confcience.  107 

He  conftantly  underflood  it  with  a  View  on- 
ly to  What  He  had  done  as  a  Chrijiia?2,  in  his 
converted  State.  Herein,  fays  He,  do  I  ex- 
ercife  my  felf^  to  have  always  a  Confcience  void  of 
Offence  towa?'d  God,  and  toward  Men ».  This 
was  faid  in  the  Way  of  Anfwer  to  the  falfe 
Accufations  of  the  fews,  hke  as  the  former, 
and  occurs  in  the  Chapter  next  following:  And 
the  Words  plainly  relate  only  to  his  Chrijiian 
Converfation  5  not  to  his  former  fewifj  one. 
He  had  lived  in  all  good  Confcience,  with  re- 
fpedt  to  v/hat  the  fews  had  accufed  Him  of: 
For,  neither  againfl  the  Law  of  the  Jews,  nei- 
thcr  againfi  the  Temple,  neither  yet  agaiifl  Cje^ 
SAR,  had  He  offended  any  thing  at  all^,  from 
the  Time  of  his  Converlion  to  Chrift.  So, 
St.  Paul's  Phrafe  of  a  good  Confcience,  did  not 
mean  merely  the  living  up  to  one's  Perfwaff 
on,  of  whatever  Kind  it  were,  but  living  up 
to  ^juf  and  well-groundedFevfwaiion,  of  What 
is  confonant  to  the  PFill  of  God.  If  a  Perfon 
^ds  merely  according  to  his  prefent  ill-ground- 
ed Perfwalion,  which  He  never  ferioufly  and 
impartially  examin'd  into,  He  cannot  be  pro- 
perly faid  to  maintain  a  good  Confcience ;  becaufe 
if  Pie  has  any  Self- Reflection  at  all,  his  Confci- 
ence mufl:  fmite  Him,  and  his  own  Heart  con- 
demn 

»  A£ls  xxiv.  1 6.  ^  Adls  xxv.  8.' 


lo8     A  gooi.  lAk  the  fureft  Title 

demn  Him,  for  not  taking  more  Care  to  in- 
form Himfelf  better.  Every  Perfon  is  in  Duty- 
bound  to  prove  all  Things,  fo  far  as,  humanly 
fpeaking,  in  his  Circumflances,  He  may ;  in 
Order  both  to  admit  and  to  hGldfaJl  that  ivJoich 
is  good^.  It  is  deceiving  Our  Selves  to  imagine 
that  We  have  a  gmd  Confcience,  when  We  have 
ufed  no  reafonable  Care  in  examining  whether 
it  be  a  right  Confcience,  a  'well-grouiided  Per- 
fwafion  that  we  proceed  upon,  or  not. 

There  is  another  common  Method  of  Belf- 
deceit y  when  a  Perfon,  Who  well  enough  im- 
derjiands  the  Rule  He  is  to  go  by,  yet  forgets 
to  apply  it  to  his  own  particular  Cafe,  and  fo 
fpeaks  Peace  to  Himfelf,  all  the  while  that  He 
tranfgrefles  it.  It  is  irkfome  and  painful  to 
make  Home  Reflexions :  And  it  is  a  much  ea- 
fier  Way,  to  take  it  for  granted,  that  We  have 
done  nothing  amifs,  than  to  be  critical,  and 
prying  into  our  own  Bofoms.  King  Saul 
could  fay  confidently,  even  after  the  Prophet 
Samuel  had  reproved  Him,  that  He  had  o- 
heyed  the  Voice  of  the  Lord,  and  had  gone  the  Way 
which  the  Lord  Jhit  Him  ^.  He  had  done  it 
indeed  in  Part ;  And,  under  a  Kind  of  Con- 
fufion  of  Thought  (natural  or  artificial)  He  was 
difpofed  to  pals  that  Fart  off,  for  the  Whole, 

till 

a  :  Their.  V.  21.  '^  j  Sam.  xv.  20. 


io  a  good  Confcience.       109 

till  his  Miftake  was  prefTed  fo  clofe  upon  Him, 
that  there  was  no  Room  for  Evafion.  A  much, 
better  Man  than  He  (I  mean  David)  after 
two  very  grievous  Tranfgreffions,  appeared  to 
be  under  the  like  Infeniibility,  and  the  like 
Self- Confidence  (either  blinded  by  the  Height 
of  his  Station,  or  the  Strength  of  his  Paffions) 
till  the  Prophet  Nathan,  by  an  affeding 
Parable,  fhew'd  Him  his  Miftake,  and  then 
charged  the  Matter  home  to  Him,  by  faying, 
T^hou  art  the  Man  a.  There  is  a  Kind  of  Faf- 
cinatian  in  Self- Flattery,  for  the  Time,  which 
makes  a  Man  blind  to  his  own  Failings,  and 
prompts  Him  to  fpeak  Peace  to  Himfelf,  when 
He  has  no  Foundation  for  it,  but  a  fond  Pre- 
fumption,  or  an  overweening  Vanity. 

But  the  Way  to  \i2NQ,folid  and  abiding  SatiJ^ 
faction,  is  iirft  to  examine  Our  Selves,  ilridtly 
and  impartially,  by  the  Rule  of  God's  Csm- 
majidments ;  in  Order  to  fee  clearly  how  far  We 
have  come  up  to  it,  or  how  far,  and  in  what 
Inilances  we  have  tranfgreffed  it,  or  come 
fhort  of  it.  If,  after  a  ftricl  Scrutiny,  We  can 
pronounce  aifuredly,  that  our  Heart  is  right, 
and  our  Ways  good  (due  Allowances  only  made 
for  Sins  of  daily  Incuriion,  or  human  Infir- 
mities) We  may  then  prefume  to  think,  that 

Wc 

*  2  Sam,  ,xiL  7,, 


110     A  good  Life  the  fur  eft  'Titk 

We  have  a  clear  Conj'ctence  in  the  main,  and  fucli 
as  may  embolden  Us  to  look  up  with  a  good 
Degree  of  Confidence  towards  God,  as  One 
that  will  mercifully  accept  of  our  Prayers  here^ 
and  of  our  Souls  and  Bodies  hereafter. 

I  am  aware  of  a  Difficulty  which  may  arife 
from  fome  Words  of  St.  Paul,  which  at  fir  ft 
hearing  may  appear  to  clafli  with  the  Dodrine 
of  the  Text,  as  I  have  been  expounding  it.    St^ 
Paul  fays,  I  judge  not  mine  Own  Self:    For  1 
know  nothing  by  7?iyfelf:  Tet  dm  Inot  hereby  jujli^ 
Jied:    But  He  that  judge th  me,    is  the  Lord. 
therefore  judge  Nothing  before  the  T^ime,  until  the 
Jjord  come  &c^.     Do  not  thefe  Words  found, 
as  if  no  certain  Judgment  could,  or  ought  to 
be  made  by  any  Man  of  his  own  fpiritual  State 
to  Godwards  ?    And  if  fo,  What  becomes  of 
the  Comfort  of  a  good  Conjcience  ?  Or  how  can 
We  have  that  Confidence  towards  God,  which 
the  Text  fpeaks  of?  In  Anfwer  to  the  feeming 
Difficulty,  I  may  obferve,  frji,  that  it  is  cer- 
tain St.  Paul  could  not  mean  to  detract  from 
the  joyous  Comfort  of  a  good  Co?t/cief2ce,  fince 
He  more  than  once  declared  expreilly,  that  it 
was  What  He  Himfelf  enjoy'd,   and  He  was 
fully  affured  of  it :  Befides  that  No  Man  ever 
exprefled  a  more  fatisfadory  Affiirance  of  his 

own 

^  I  Cor.  iv.  3,  4,  5, 


io  a  good  Confclence.       1 1 1 

ownfiialjii/iificatioji  than  He  once  did,  in  thefe 
Words :  /  have  fought  a  good  Fight  ^  1  havejinijhed 
7ny  CourJt\  I  have  kept  the  Faith :  Henceforth  there 
is  laid  lip  for  me  a  Crown  of  Right eoufiefs^  which 
the  Lordy  the  righteous  fudge ^  fhall  give  me  at 
that  Day  '\  So  far  St.  Paul  :  How  then  could 
He  iiij^  judge  nothing  before  the  Time ^  until  the 
Lord  co?}ie,  if  That  were  his  Meaning,  that  a 
Man  might  not  judge  of  his  own  fpiritual  State 
beforehand,  nor  fpeak  Peace  to  Himfelf  upon 
the  Strength  of  a  clear  Co?ifcie?2ce  ?  Thofe  two 
Suppofitions  are  evidently  contradidory  to  each 
other,  and  can  never  fland  together.  Where- 
fore We  muil  of  Neceffity  look  out  for  fome 
other  Meaning  of  What  St.  Paul  fays,  con- 
cerning the  Impropriety  of  judging  any  Thing 
of  our  felves  before  the  final  Day  of  Judgment* 
He  was  there  fpeaking  of  the  fulfilling  the 
Work  of  the  Mi?nfry  with  the  utmofl  Exad:- 
nefs ;  and  He  would  have  No  Man  prefume 
to  judge  beforehand  that  He  had  io  fulfilled  it* 
For,  tho'  He  fliould  be  able  to  efpy  Nothing  in 
Himfelf  wherein  he  had  been  to  blame,  had 
no  Sin  to  charge  Himfelf  with  on  that  Head  5 
yet  That  would  not  fuffice  to  clear  Him  per- 
fectly, that  is,  to  ji'Jiify  Him  in  the  flridieft 
Senfe,  becaufe  God  might  fee  Faults^  eithet  'of 

Omijjion 

-  ^  2  Tim.  iv.  7, 8.  '  • 

2 


tm    A  good  Life  thefureft  Title 

OmiJJion  or  Chmmijfion^  which  the  Man  HimfelJ 
might  not  be  aware  of:    Therefore,  fays  thfe 
Apoftle,  judge  Nothing  as  to  your  faithful  ful- 
flling  your  Duty  in  every  Point,  before  the  Time: 
Prefume  not  fo  far :  God  only  can  judge  whether 
you  have  been  altogether  free  from  Blame  in 
that  Article.     So  the  Meaning  of  the  Apoftle, 
in  that  Place,  was  only  to  check  vain  Prefump- 
tioTZy  and  to  prevent  proud  Boajiing  :   And  it 
comes  almoft  to  the  fame  with  what  St.  James 
fays.  In  many  Things  we  offend  All  ^:  And  what 
St.  John  fays.  If  we  fay  that  we  have  no  Sin^ 
we  deceive  ourfelves^  &c  ^ :   Or  to  what  the  Pfal- 
mifi  intimates  by  faying.    Who  can  underfiand 
his  Errors^    Clean/e  Thou  me  from  my  fecret 
Faults^.     Now,  the  Dodrine  of  a  good  Con" 
fcience,  or  of  an  humble  Ajjurance  of  our  being 
in  a  State  of  Grace y  is  very  confiftent  with  this 
ether  Dodrine,  that  the  very  Beft  of  Men  are 
Sinners  in  God's  Sight,  and  may  in  fundry  In- 
fiances  be  found  worthy  of  Blame,  more  than 
They  Themfelves  had  been  ever  aware  of.  The 
Gofpel-Remedy  for  thofe  fecret  Sins,  thofe 
which  have  Neither  efcaped  our  Notice,  or  have 
flipped  out  of  Memory,  is  2l  geiicral  Repentance^ 
together  with  fuch  Kind  of  Prayers  as  the  PfaU 
mifi  put  up  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  when  He 

faid, 

*  Jam.  iii.  2.  ''  i  John  i.  8.         «  Pfal.  xix.  I2, 


io  a  Good  Confcience.        113 

fald,  Cleanfe  Thou  me  from  my  fecret  Faults^ 
Such  Kind  of  Bin^  of  Ignorance  or  of  Infirmity 
are  no  Bar  to  true  Feace  of  Mind,  or  to  the 
Comforts  of  a  good  Co7ifcience,  or  to  a  modeji 
Affurance  of  our  being  in  a  State  of  Grace  and 
Favour  3  provided  only,  that,  upon  a  ferious 
Examination  of  our  ovi^n  Hearts  and  Lives, 
We  do  find  that  We  indulge  no  known  Habits 
of  Sin;  but  ufe  our  careful  Endeavours,  by 
the  Help  of  God's  Grace,  to  difcharge  our 
bounden  Duty  in  that  Station  of  Life  w here- 
unto God  has  called  Us.  So  then,  this  Place 
of  St.  Paul,  rightly  underflood,  interferes 
not  at  all  with  the  Dodrine  of  the  Text  as 
before  explain'd.  And  I  may  further  hint, 
that  there  were  feme  Minifters  of  the  Gofpel 
of  that  Time,  Who  were  too  much  puffed  up, 
and  affedied  to  be  thought  more  confiderahle  than 
St. Paul  Himfelf  -,  and  it  was  chiefly  with  a 
View  to  thofe  Men  that  St.  Paul  here  fpake 
fo  exceeding  modeflly  of  Himfef,  in  Order  to 
teach  I'Jwn  Modefty  in  fuch  a  Way,  as  mJght 
give  Them  lead  Offence  :  Wherefore  He  fays 
in  Verfe  the  6  th  of  the  fame  Chapter,  l^hefe 
Things,  Brethren,  I  have  in  a  Figure  transfer-- 
red  to  my  Self  and  ^oApollos,  for  your  Sakes  : 
That  Te  might  learn  in  Us,  not  to  think  of  Men 
above  That  which  is  written,  that  No  C72e  of  Toil 
Vol.il  H  be 


^  vf.  Jo*^*^^  /t^t-t^Aj      !L^6T*oCcr^'7j^xctT;cu,cs 


\ 


'114    ^  Good  Life  t^e  furefi  Title 


be  puffed  up  for  One  aga'infl  Another.  He.  was 
fenfible  that  Some  of  the  Church  of  Corinth 
magnified  Themfelves  too  much,  and  were 
too  much  magnified  by  Others,  in  the  Way 
of  Emulation  :  But  it  was  a  very  tender  Point 
to  fpeak  plaixily  of,  or  even  to  touch  upon,  for 
Fear  of  widening  the  Breach,  and  heighten- 
ing the  Divifions  :  Therefore  He  chofe  that 
foftefl  V/ay  of  Rebuke,  not  naming  the  Per- 
,  fons  Who  were  moil:  to  blame,  but  naming; 
;  Himfelf  in  ^leir  Stead  ;  and  defcribing  in  his 
own  Perfon,  as  a  Minifler  of  Ch  R  i  st,  how 
himihly  and  how  modejily  Every  One  ought  to 
think  of  Himfelf^  and  behave  in  his  Station. 

But  I  return  to  the  Bufinefs  of  a  good  Con- 
fcience^  from  which  I  have  a  little  digrefied, 
for  the  clearer  reconciling  of  the  feveral  Texts, 
and  for  the  removing  Scruples.  No  Doubt 
but  a  ferious.confiderate  Man  may  know  when 
He  behaves  as  He  ought  to  do,  and  may  reap 
the  Comfort  of  it :  And  though  We  are  None 
of  Us  without  Sin,  of  one  Kind  or  other,  but 
in  many  Things  we  offend  All ^  yea  more  than  We 
know  of  (but  God  knows)  yet  a  good  Life  is 
eafily  diftinguidi'd  from  the  Life  of  the  Ungod- 
ly^ and  a  State  of  Grace  from  a  State  cf  Sin : 
And  fo  there  is  Room  enough  left  for  the  Joy 
of  a  good  Confclence^  where  Men  live  as  becom- 

eth 


to  a  Good  Conscience;        i  i  5 

eth  the  Gofpel  of  Cn^i^T , perfeBing  HoU72efs^ 
to  fuch  a  Degree  as  Man  can  be  perfed:,  in  the 
Fear  of  God. 

II. 

Having  thus  flated  the  Nature,  and  clear'd 
the  Meaning  of  a  good  Confcience,  I  now  pro- 
ceed to  difcourfe  of  the  Comforts  of  it.  Thefe 
are  pointed  out,  in  very  expreffive  Words,  by 
the  Apoflle  in  the  Text  :  If  our  Flearts  con- 
demn us  not,  then  have  We  Confidence  towards 
Godi,  and  whatfoever  we  ajk,  we  receive  of  Him. 
What  greater  Comfort  can  there  be,  than  co?!-- 
fcious  Virtue,  drawing  after  it  the  Favour,  the 
Countenance,  the  Friefidpip  of  God,  in  Whom 
all  Happinefs  centers^  and  upon  Whom  all 
'Things  entirely  depend  F  If  God  be  with  Us, 
who  can  be  againfl  Us  ?  What  Friends  can 
We  want,  while  in  Him  We  have  Ail  that 
are  truly  valuable  ?  Or  what  Bleffings  can  We 
defire,  but  what  He  is  both  v/illing,  and  able 
-to  (how'r  down  upon  Us,  only  leaving  it  to 
Him  to  judge  what  is  fafeil:  and  moil  conve- 
nient for  Us.  Whatfoever  a  good  Man  afis  in 
Faith,  if  it  be  for  his  Soul's  Health,  That  He 
is  fare  to  receive-,  as  the  Apoflle  in  the  Text 
informs  Us.  V/iil  He  afk  Temporal  Bleffings  ? 
He  may,  but  with  Referve  and  Caution  ;  not 
forgetting  to  add  thefe  or  the  like  Words- : 

Vol.  IL  H  2  Tet 


1 1 6   A  Good  Life  the  furefi  "Title 

Tet  not  my  IVill,  but  Thine  be  done.  Will  He 
afk  rather  (as  fure  He  will)  Spiritual  Blef- 
iings,  as  Pardon  and  Grace,  Holinefs  here, 
Happinefs  hereafter  ?  Thofe  He  may  afk  ear- 
neftly,  abfolutely,  freely,  and  without  Re- 
ferve  -,  and  is  fure  to  be  heard  in  doing  it,  fo 
long  as  He  keeps  God's  Commandments. 
There  is  no  Pleafure  in  Life  comparable  to 
That  which  arifes  in  a  good  Man's  Breaft, 
from  the  Senfe  of  his  keeping  up  2i  friendly  In- 
tercourfe,  ;a  Kind  of  familiar  Acquaintance 
with  God.  I  do  not  mean  an  irreverent,  a 
Kind  oi  fancy  Familiarity,  fuch  as  hath  been 
feen  in  fome  fawning  Hypocrites,  or  wild  Eti- 
thufafs ;  and  which  is  as  different  from  the 
true  filial  Reverence,  as  the  afledied  Cringings, 
or  naufeous  Freedoms  of  a  Parafte,  are  from 
the  open,  decent,  humble  Deportment  of  a 
refpeBfiil  Admirer.  The  Text  expreffes  a  good 
Man's  Comfort,  by  his  having  Confde?ice  to^ 
wards  God :  And  in  the  next  Chapter,  the 
fame  Apoflle  fays  :  Herein  is  our  Love  made 
perfeB,  that  We  may  have  Boldnefs  in  the  Day 
of  Judgment,  or  againft  the  Day  of  Judgment : 
Becauje  as  He  is,  fo  are  We  in  this  World  :  That 
is  to  fay,  We  are  in  the  fame  Intere/ls  with 
Him,  are  his  Retainers,  and  Domeflicks  of  his 
Family  and  Houjliold.     The  Apoflle  adds ; 

There 


to  a  Good  Confcience.  117 

^here  is  no  Fear  in  hove  5  but  perfeB  Love  caji- 
eth  out  Fear  :    Becaufe  Fear  hath  T^ormenf^. 

I  have  cited  thefe  other  Texts  for  the  clear- 
er apprehending  of  what  the  Confidence  towards 
God  means.  To  make  it  ftill  plainer,  I  may 
add,  that,  like  as  a  dutiful  and  obedient  Child, 
confcious  of  a  Parent's  Love,  and  of  the  reci- 
procal AiFedion  there  is  between  Them,  ap- 
proacheth  not  with  fearful  Looks  or  down-caft 
Dread,  but  comes  with  Smiles  in  his  Counte- 
nance, and  Joy  in  every  Gefture ;  fo  a  truly 
good  Man  appears  in  God's  Prefence,  under  a 
joyous  Senfe  of  the  divine  Love  towards  Flim, 
and  has  none  of  thofe  dreadful  Apprehenfions 
which  guilty  Men  have,  or  ought  to  have,  as 
often  as  They  come  before  Him.  An  awful 
"Dijiance  there  ought  indeed  to  be  between  the 
Creature  and  his  Creator  :  But  where  an  Uni-. 
on  of  Wills  and  AfFedions  has  made  Us  as  it 
were  One  with  Christ,  Who  is  effentially 
One  with  God^  then  that  awful  Tiiftance  brings 
no  Torment  with  it,  but  rather  fills  the  Mind 
with  inexprefjible  'Joy  and  Admiration. 

Tho'  St. John  has  faid,  that  perfect  Love 
cafleth  out  Fear  3  yet  St.  Paul  has.  faid.  Work 
out  your  own  Salvation  with  Fear  and  Trembling^, 
How  fhall  we  reconcile  the  feeming  Differ- 

H  3  ence  ^ 

»  I  John  Iv,  17,  18.  )»  Philip,  ii.  i  %, 


i  1 8    A  Good  Life  thefurejl  Ttth 

ence  ?  It  may  be  reconciled  thus  :  St.  John 
by  Fear  meant  a  tormenting  Fear  ;  for  He  ob- 
ferved,  that  Fear,  fuch  as  He  fpake  of,  hath 
torment  in  it  :  Bat  St.  Paul  underftood  by 
Fear,  that  Kind  of  Filial  Fear  temper'd  with 
Love,  which  has  no  fuch  T^orment  in  it.  St. 
Paul,  in  the  fame  Place  where  He  fpeaks  of 
working  out  our  Salvation  with  Fear  and  Trem- 
bling, immediately  adds  :  For,  it  is  God  who 
worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
Fleafure^.  Obferve,  how  comfortable  a  Reajon 
He  afilgns  for  Fear  and  Tremblijig,  fufhcient, 
One  would  think,  to  remove  all  melancholy 
Fears,  Doubts,  or  Dijpdejtce  :  And  fo  it  is. 
But  Who  can  think  of  the  immediate  Pre- 
fence  of  the  Tremendous  Deity,  without  fome 
Trembling  Awe  and  Concern  upon  his  Mind  .'* 
Whenever  God  has  been  pleafed  to  lignify  his 
Approach  by  'vifible  Symbols  and  Jhij%le  Appear- 
ances to  frail  Mortals,  They  have  inilantly 
been  filled  with  Dread  and  Horrour.  The 
Prophet  Da-niel  upon  fuch  Occafions,  funk 
dpwn  into  a  Trance  b  j  and  even  the,  Apoftle 
Jo  H  N  fell  down  as  dead  for  a  Seafon  <^.  So 
dreadful  are  the  Approaches  of  the  Divine 
Majeily,  tho'  coming  in  Love,  when  made  in 
^  fenfible  Way,  in  fome  dazling  and  glorious 

Form. 

?  Philip,  ii.  13.     ^  Dan.  viii.  1 7, 1 8.  — -x.  9.     '  Kevel.  i.  1 7. 


to  a  Good  Confcience,  no 

Form.  But  when  God  comes  to  Us  to  make 
his  Abode  ninth  us^^  and  to  work  ivithin  us 
(which  He  certainly  does,  becaiife  He  has  fo 
promifed)  we  feel  no  fenfible  Emotions :  Be- 
caufe  neither  the  Senfes  nor  the  Imagination 
is  flruck  by  any  outward  Appearances,  but  all 
is  invifibly  2ind  Jpiritiially  performed  5  and  there 
is  Nothing  but  abJiraB  T'hought,  and  Chriflian 
Recollection  that  can  give  us  any  Notion  of 
the  Divine  Prefence,  in  fuch  his  filent  and 
unfeen  Approaches.  However,  a  lively  Faith 
in  it,  and  an  undoubted  Experience  of  it,  may 
be  fuflicient  to  affeft  a  devout  Mind  with  a 
Kind  of  trembling  Awe  of  the  Divine  Maje- 
fty  conceived  to  be  prefent,  anH  working  in 
Us :  And  that  Confideration  may  beft  account 
for  St.  Pau  l's  Meaning,  where  He  fays  : 
JVork  out  your  own  Salvatmi  with  Fear  and 
Trembling  :  For,  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  Tou, 
and  fo  on. —  There  is  Nothing  in  This  Mat- 
ter which  takes  off  from  the  tranfporting  Plea- 
fure  of  a  clear  and  good  Confcience,  grounded 
upon  the  ftable  Supf)ort  of  a  well-Jpent  Life, 
the  only  fure  Anchor  to  reft  upon,  and  That 
no  otherwife  than  as  it  finally  refts  in  the  all- 
fufEcient  Merits  ofCHRisxjEsus,  which 
^ione  can  fupply  the  Defers  of  our  own  Righ-. 
H  4  teoifnefi^ 

B  Joh.  xiv.  23.         , 


\ 


1 20    A  Good  Life  thefurejl  Tith 

teoufnefs^  or  render  even  our  befl  Services  ac- 
cepted. 

But  the  greater  the  Comfort  of  a  good  Con- 
fcience  is,  the  more  folicitous  ought  We  to  be, 
that  We  proceed  upon  fure  Grounds,  in  the 
Judgment  v/hichWe  make  of  our  Own  Selves ; 
and  that  We  millake  not  Prefumption,  or  Self- 
Admiration,  for  true  Peace  of  Mind.  Many 
Marks  might  be  mention'd,  v^hereby  to  dif- 
tinguidi  One  from  the  Otljer  :  But  It  may 
fuffice  to  point  out  0?2e  which  is  the  fore/i  of 
any  ;  namely,  Growth  m  Goodnefs,  Growth 
in  Grace.  The  Progrefs  of  the  Chriftian  Life 
is  gradual  j  and  our  higheil;  Attainments  here 
are  a  ftill  growi?2g  Perfection.  Examine  your 
Title  to  the  Comforts  of  a  good  Con  fcience  by 
this  Rule  j  and  you  fhall  find  It  will  not  de- 
ceive You.  If  We  are  daily  improving  in  Wif- 
dom  and  Virtue,  gaining  Ground  of  our  Vice^ 
or  FaJJiom  more  and  more  ;  If  We  iind  Our 
Selves  more  patient  under  Adverfity,  and  lefs 
puffed  up  in  the  Day  of  Profperity ;  If  We 
perceive,  that  We  can  bear  Affronts,  or  Inju- 
ries with  more  Calmnefs  and  Unconcerned- 
nefs,  and  are  more  difpofed  than  formerly  to 
forget,  and  forgive  -,  If  We  have  greater  Com- 
mand over  our  Appetites,  and  can  take  De- 
light in  Temperance,  Sobernefs,  and  Challity  5 

I  V^, 


to  a  Good  Confcience.  121 

If,  inflead  of  doing  Wrong  to  Any  Man,  We 
find  Our  Selves  more  and  more  inclined  to 
Kindnefs,  Friendlinefs,  and  Charity ;  If,  in- 
ftead  of  hanging  back,  with  Refped:  to  Reli- 
gious Duties,   We  find  our  Relifh  for  them 
heighten'd,  our  Devotions  raifed,  and  our  Ar- 
dors more  inflamed  5    If  our  Attachments  to 
the  World  grow  weaker  and  weaker,  and  our 
Afpirations  towards  Heaven  every  Day  ftrong- 
er  and  ftronger,  the  nearer  We  iapproach  to 
the  End  of  our  Race  ;  I  fay.  If  We'find  Mat- 
ters thus  to  ftand  (upon  the  ftrideft  Enquiry 
We  can  make  into  our  Hearts  and  Lives)  then 
may  We,  upon  fure  Grounds,  judge  favour- 
ably of  our  prefent  State  and  Circumftances, 
and  may  humbly  prefume  that  God  is  in  Us 
of  a  Truth,  and  that  We  are,  by  the  Grace 
of  God,  thro'  the  Merits  of  Chri  st  Jesus^ 
in  the  High  Road  to  Salvation. 


SERMON 


SERMON   VIL 

The  Nature  and  Manner  in  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  may  be  fuppofed  to  ope- 
rate upon  Us  :  And  the  Marks  and 
Tokens  of  fuch  Operation, 


Rom,  viii.   14, 

As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  Gody 
They  are  the  Sons  of  God, 

U  R  prefent  High  Fejflival  a, 
which  is  of  ancient  Standing  in 
the  Church  of  Christ,  is  pe- 
culiarly dedicated  to  the  Ho- 
nour of  the  Holy  Spirit  J  a  Di- 
vine Perfon,  Partner  with  the  Father^  and  the 
Son,  in  the  one  eternal,  all-glorious  Godhead, 
Divine  Wifdom  has  vouchfafed  herein  to  ap- 
prize Us  of  the  Relation  We  bear  to  each 
JPerfon,  and  the  Dependence  We  have  upon 

Them 

^  Whitfunday, 


1 24       The  Natute  and  Tokens 

Them  All,  that  We  alfo  (among  other  Crea- 
tures) may  pay  our  dutiful  Homage,  and  A- 
doration  accordingly. 

All  the  Perfons  of  the  Godhead  are  repre- 
fented,  in  Sacred  Writ,  ^s  jointly  concurring  m 
our  Creation  and  Prefevoation^  and  jointly  con- 
tributing, in  myfterious  Order,  to  our  Redemp- 
tion and  final  Salvation  :  But  the  prefent 
Occafion  obliges  Me  to  confine  My  Self  chief- 
ly to  What  concerns  the  Third  Per/on^  his 
Prefence  with  Us,  and  his  kind  Offices  towards 

Us. 

He  is  fet  forth,  in  the  New  Tellament,  as 
our  Comforter  abiding  a?nong  us  a,  and  as  dwell- 
wg  in  us  ^  :  And  that,  not  with  refpecfl  to  our 
Souls  only,  but  even  our  Bodies  alfo,  thefe  Ta- 
bernacles of  Clay  :  For  they  likewife  have 
the  Honour  to  be  confidered,  as  the  facred 
Temple  wherein  He  is  pleased  to  refide  ^, 
They  are  thereby  JanBiJied,  for  the  prefent, 
and  fealed  alfo,  for  the  Time  to  come  :  Sealed 
tinto  the  Day  of  their  Redemption  ^  5  that  is  to 
fay,  marked  out,  and  infured  for  a  happy  and 
joyful  Refurre6lion  to  Life  eternal.  For^  as 
Many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  They  are 
the  Sons  oj  God  j  and  therefore  (as  foon  after 

follows 

'  John  xvi.  7.  —  xiv.  16.  *  1  Cor.vi.  19. 

?^  I  Cor.  iii.  16,  ^  Ep^-  '^''  3^« 


ef  the  Spirit's  Operation.       12^ 

ibllows  in  the  fame  Chapter)  if  Children^  then 

Heirs,  and  yoyjit-Heirs  with  Ch  r  i  s  t that 

We  may  be  glorified  together  ^,     In  difcourfing 
farther,  it  will  be  proper  to  iliew, 

I.  TFhaf  it  is  to  be  Jed  by  the  Spirit  -,  or  What 
it  is  that  the  Holy  Spirit  does  for  the  fur- 
thering our  Salvation. 

II.  How,  and  in  what  Manner  He  may  bft 
fuppbfed  to  a6i,  or  operate. 

III.  By  what  Marks  or  'tokens  it  may  be 
feen,  that  He  does  operate  upon  Us^  and 
that  We  are  led  by  Him. 

IV.  What  is  the  TJfe  and  Improvement  whic^ 
We  are  concern'd  to  make  of  the  Whole. 

I. 

As  to  the  firft  Particular,  which  relates  to 
the  Spirifs  leading  Us  in  our  Way  to  Salva- 
tion, it  is  obfervable,  that  our  BlefTed  Lord, 
taking  his  folemn  Leave  of  his  Difciples,  a 
little  before  his  Paffion,  confign'd  Them,  as 
it  were,  over  to  the  Care  and  Guidance  of  the 
Holy  Ghoft,  the  Comforter,  Who  would  guide 
'Them  into  all  "Truth  ^,  and  would  abide  with 
Them,  and  with  the  Church  after  Them,  for 
ever^.      He  repeated   the  fame   Promife  to 

Them, 

f  Rom.  viii.  17.       •»  Johnxvi.  13.        « rxiv.  16. 


t26      Tie  Nature  and  Tokens 

Them,  a  little  before  his  Afcenfion  into  Heit^ 
ven,  as  appears  from  the  Hiftory  oi  ABs  i.  5.  8. 
This,  however,  is  not  to  be  fo  under  flood, 
as  if  the  Holy  Ghoft  were  now  our  Jole  Con- 
duder,  exclujive  of  the  Other  Tico  Divine  Per- 
fons  :  For  our  BlefTed  Lord,  in  the  very  fame 
Place  where  He  promifes  to  fend  the  Com- 
forter to  a5ide  with  Us  for  ever,  promifes  ai- 
fo,  that  the  Father  and  Himfelf  (hdW  make  the 
like  Abode  with  good  Chriftians.     If  any  Man 
love  Me,  fays  He,  My  Father  'will  love  Him, 
a7id  We  will  come  unto  Him^  and  make  our  Abode 
with  Him  ^.     Elfewhere  He  promifes  to  his 
Difciples,  his  own  Jpiritual  Prefence,  to  con- 
tinue with  Them,  as  long  as  the  Church,  or 
the  World  fliould  laft.     Lo,  I  am  with  Ton 
alway,  even  unto  the  Fnd  of  the  World.  Amen  ^. 
From  all  which  it  is  plain,  that  God  the  Fa- 
ther, God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghofi, 
are  equally  prejent  to  good  Men,  in  all  Ages 
of  the  Church  ;    and  that  when  our  Lord 
fpake  of  his  departing^  and  leaving  the  World, 
He  meant  it  barely  of  his   bodily  Abfence  : 
And  becaufe,  from  the  Time  of  his  Afcenfion, 
He  was  to  be  prefent,  only  in  a  fpiritual  and 
invifible  Way,  as  a  Spirit,  and  together  with 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  therefore  He  confider'd  his 
Church  from  thence-forwards,  as  being  peculi- 
arly 

'  Jolin  xiv,  23.  •*  Matth.  xxviii.  20, 


cf  the  Spirit's  Operation^       127 

arly  under  the  Guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghojl  j 
though  ftriftly  fpeaking,  it  is  under  the  fpiri- 
tual  Guidance  of  All  the  'Three  Perjbns.  Hence 
it  is,  that  (uch.  fpirittml Guidance  (which  often 
goes  under  the  Name  of  Grace,  in  the  New 
Teflament)  is  fometimes  afcribed  to  the  Fa- 
ther, fometimes  to  the  So?i,  and  fometimes  to 
the  Holy  Ghoji,  as  it  is  the  c6?nmon  Work  of  All ; 
and  may  be  indifferently,  and  promifcuoufly, 
attributed  to  Any  of  Them  iingly,  or  to  All 
of  Them  together.  So  We  find  Mention 
made,  more  than  once,  of  the  Grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  of  the  Grace  of 
God,  meaning  God  the  Father  :  And  yet 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  emphatically  and  emi- 
nently ftyled  The  Spirit  of  Grace,  as  being, 
fome  Way  or  other,  more  immediately  concer- 
ned in  the  Work  of  Grace,  and  thereby  uni- 
ting true  Believers  both  with  the  Father  and 
the  Son. 

Now,  for  the  clearer  Conception  of  What 
Grace  means,  in  this  emphatical  Senfe,  and  of 
What  the  Holy  Spirit  does  in  the  JFork  of 
Grace,  upon  the  Minds  of  the  Faithful ;  We 
may  diftinftly  confider  it  under  its  feveral 
Views,  or  Divifions. 

I.  There  is  a  Kind  of  illuminating,  or  en- 
light  ejiing  Grace  given,  as  often  as  the  Holy 

Spirit 
•  2 


128      755^  Nature  and  Tokens 

Spirit  conveys  and  infiilh  good  T^houghts^  wholes 
Jome  Counfeh,  or  falutary  InfiruBions  ;  opening 
the  Underjlanding  to  receive  and  embrace  them. 
To  This  Head  belongs  what  the  Pfalmijl  fays : 
Open  thou  mine  Eyes,  that  I  fjiay  behold  wondrous 
'Things  out  of  thy  Law  ^.  And  in  the  New  Tef- 
t anient  it  is  recorded,  that  The  Lord  opened 
the  Heart  o/Lydi  a,  that  She  attended  unto  The 
Things  which  were  fpoken  of  Paul b.  It  is  the 
Spirit  that  gives  us  true  Light,  and  likevi^ife 
gives  it  Reception. 

2.  There  is  alfo  a  kind  oi fanBifying  Grace y 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  reBifies  the  Hearty 
inclines  the  JVilly  and  meliorates  the  Ajfediions  : 
For,  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  Us  both  to  will 
end  to  do,  of  his  good  Plea  fur  e  ^  j  as  St.  Paul 
teftifies.  This  fafiBifying  Grace  is  commonly 
diftinguifh'd  into  three  Parts  or  Branches, 
called  prc'-oenting,  ajjijling,  perfeBing  -,  being 
coniidered,  firfi,  as  laying  the  early  Seeds  of 
that  fpiritual  Life  ;  next,  as  contributing  to  its 
Growth  and  Progrefs  3  and  lafly,  as  adding  the 

finijlnng  Hand  to  it. 

3 .  There  is  one  pecidiar  Work  of  the  Spirit, 
which,  tho'  it  n:av  be  reduced  to  One  or  O- 
ther  of  the  three  Pleads  of  preventing,  nfjifting, 
^x  pcrfediing  Grace  (as  before  mentioned)  may 

yet 

»  Pfal.  cxix.  iS.         »•  Aas  wl.  14.  <^  Tliirip.  xi.  13. 


of  the  Spirit's  Operation.       129 

yet  deferve  {orcit  Jpecial  Notice  here  :    And 
That  is,  The  Grace  of  true  Devotioji,  attended 
with  deep  CompimSiion  of  Heart.     St.  Paul 
fpeaks  of  it  in  the  Epiflle  to  the  Romans^  in 
thefe  Words  :    The  Spirit  aljb  helpeth  our  Infir^- 
mities  -,  for  We  know  not  What  We  jloould  pray 
for  as  We  ought :  But  the  Spirit  it  felf  maketh 
Inter cefjiofi  for  Us,  with  Groanings  which  cannot 
be  uttered^.     That  is  to  fay.  The  Holy  Spirit 
of  God,  working  within,   fometimes  ftrikes 
the  Mind  of  good  Men  with  fuch  Ardency  of 
Devotion,  and  fuch  vehement  Compund:ions, 
that  their  Hearts  are  too  fall  to  utter  What 
They  think  5  and  fo,  for  the  prefent.  They 
are  not  able  to  vent  the  pious  Breathings  of 
their  Souls  in  any  other  Way,  than  That  of 
Sighs  and  Groans.     The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  /;/;- 
pidfvoe  Caufe  of  all  fuch  religious  Ardors^   fuch 
ftrong  Convulfions  of  godly  Remorfe^  or  godly 
Affeclion  j  it  is  the  Work  of  God  upon  the  hum- 
ble Minds. 

Thefe  few  Hints  may  fuffice  to  give  You 
fome  general  Idea  of  the  Work  of  Grace,  or  of 
What  the  Holy  Spirit  does  for  the  furthering 
the  fpiritual  Life  here,  in  order  to  our  Salva- 
tion  hereafter. 

Vol.  II.  I  The 

:Rom.  viii.  26, 


130      Jhe  Nature  and  Tokens 

II. 

The  next  Enquiry  is,  how^  or  in  isohat  Man- 
net\  He  may  be  conceived  to  operate,  and  to 
effed:uate  what  He  does  ? 

In  this  Enquiry  We  ought  to  proceed  with" 
all  becoming  Modefty  and  Reverence  ;  fince 
We  are  not  able  perfe<!^iy  to  unfold  the  myjie- 
rioiis  Workings  of  the  tremendous  Deity  upon 
the  Spirit  of  Man.  But,  one  Thing  We  are 
certain  of,  in  the  general,  that  Whatever  is 
ordinarily  done  of  this  Kind,  is  done  in  a  gen- 
tie,  moral^  injinuating  Way,  and  not  by  mecha- 
nical, irrejifiible  Impulfes,  fuch  as  would  take 
away  Human  Liberty,  or  reduce  Men  to  a  fort 
of  intelligent  Clockwork,  or  reafoning  Machines  : 
For,  upon  that  Suppofition,  every  good  Work, 
Word,  or  Thought  would  be  fo  entirely  Gods, 
that  no  Vart  of  it  would  be  Ours  -,  and  fo  all 
our  Virtue  would  be  mere  Force  upon  Us  (and 
therefore  no  Virtue  of  Ours  at  all)  and  there 
would  be  no  Room  left  for  the  numberlefs 
Exhortations  to  Well-doing,  which  Scripture 
fo  much  abounds  with,  not-  for  any  proper  Ti- 
tle to  future  Rewa7^ds.  It  is  manifeft  therefore 
that  the  Operations  of  God's  Holy  Spirit  upon 
Us,  only  prepare  Us  for  Godlinefs,  or  i7icite 
Us  and  enable  Us  thereto  ;  the  reft  mufl  come 

frorp 


tf  the  Spirit's  Operation.       131 

from  Our  f elves.  Accordingly,  Scripture  al- 
ways fuppofes,  that,  notwithftanding  any  the 
ftrongeft  Interpofitiom  of  Grace ^  Men  are  flill 
left  capable  of  rejijiing  the  Holy  Spirit  a,  and, 
Gi'iemng  the  Holy  Spirit  ^^  and  even  quenching 
the  Holy  Spirit.  For,  the  Holy  Spirit  moves 
and  inclines  only,  and  does  not  compel :  He 
kaJs  and  conduBs  as  Many  as  will  be  led  and 
conda(fted  by  Him  ;  but  does  not  fo  forcibly 
attra<£t  Them,  as  to  over-rule  all  ilubborn 
Refijlance^  or  reludant  Perverfenefs.  God  has 
provided  no  Remedy  for  malicious  Wickednefs^ 
apd  proud  Objiinacy  :  But  in  fuch  Cafes,  the 
Holy  Spirit  commonly  retires  and  withdraws, 
leaving  the  Incorrigible  and  Incurable  toThem-^ 
felves,  arJ  to  their  own  certain  Deflrudlion. 

If  We  may  prefume  to  be  a  little  more  par-- 
ticular  upon  fo  awful  a  Subje5f,  it  feems  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  works  upon  the  Minds 
of  Men  by  proper  Applications  to  their  Rea- 
Jon  and  Confcience^  to  their  Hop)es  and  Fears ; 
fuggefting  to  Them  What  is  right  and  good^ 
and  layi?ig  before  Them^  in  a  flrong  Light,  the 
Happinefs  which  they  may  attain  to  by  Obe^ 
diefice,  and  the  Mifery  confequent  upon  Difo- 
bedience.  And  I  may  add,  that  one  very  con- 
fiderable  Article  of  Divine  Wifdom  and  Good- 

VoL.  II.  I  2  nefs 

«  Aas  vii.  51,  ,**  Ephef.  iv.  30, 


132       T^a  Nature  and  Tokens 

nefs  lies  in  the  providential  ordering  all  Hu- 
man Affairs  in  llich  a  Manner,  as  may  moft 
fitly  ferve  the  Purpofes  of  Grace-,  not  prefer- 
ving  good  Men  altogether  from  Temptatiom 
(for,  How  then  fhould  They  improve  in  Vir- 
tue, without  the  Exercife  proper  for  it  ?)  but 
{o  rejiraining,  limiting^  and  governing  the 
Temptations,  that  they  fliall  not  prefs  harder, 
or  continue  longer,  than  may  befl  anfwer  the 
End  and  Defign  of  God's  permitting  them. 
Let  This  fuffice,  in  the  general,  with  refpedt 
to  the  ordinary  Methods  of  Grace,  and  the  Man- 
ner of  the  Spirifs  operatitig.  It  confifls  part- 
ly, in  the  outward  T)ire5iion  of  all  fublunary 
Jlffairs,  and  partly  in  inward  and  gentle  Ap- 
pli cations  to  the  Minds  of  Men,  fuited  to  the 
Times,  Seafons,  and  Circumflances  before  pro- 
vided. 

There  have  been  Inflances  of  other  Me- 
thods of  Grace,  which  may  be  called  extraor- 
dinary  -,  as  was  once  i^txi  in  the  miraculous 
Converfion  of  3000  Perfons  at  once  j  and  a- 
gain  more  particularly,  in  the  miraculous  Con- 
verfion of  St.  Paul.  Of  fuch  Cafes  it  is  ob- 
fervable,  that,  tho'  the  outward  Means  were 
miracidous,  and  certainly  effediual  with  all  who 
were  fitly  difpofed  -,  yet  even  there,  the  inward 
Grace  ^zs,  not  abfolutely /rr^/^/t%     Paul 

was 


of  the  Spirit's  Operation.       13^ 

was  a  religious  well-difpofed  Man  before  his 
miraculous  ConverJio?2,  and  only  wanted  72ew 
Light  and  a  better  DireBiofi,  The  outward 
Cally  in  that  Cafe,  was  iniraculous  :  But  the 
'inward  Grace  which  went  with  it,  was  no  O- 
ther  than  What  might  have  been  rejijied^  and 
woidd  have  been  refifted,  had  it  fallen  upon  a 
perverfe  temper,  and  a  Jiubborn  Heart.  St. 
Paul  Himfelf  intimates  as  much,  where, 
fpeaking  of  Himfelf,  He  fays  :  Whereupon^  O 
Ki72g  Agrippa,  I  was  not  difobedient  unto  the 
Heavenly  Vijion  ^.  He  might  have  been  difobe- 
dient-,  but  He  chofe  to  obe)\  being,  in  the 
main,  a  Perfon  of  good  natural  Probity^  and 
not  under  the  Dominion  of  any  malicious  Wic-^ 
kednefs,  or  Jiubborn  PaJ/ions,  We  do  not  find 
that  any  Miracles  could  convert  the  hardned 
PharifeeSy  or  Sadducees,  or  Simon  Maqus  : 
And  tho'  Elymas  the  Sorcerer,  was  ??iiracU' 
hujly  ftruck  blind,  yet  it  had  no  Saving  Effect 
upon  his  Heart.  There  is  a  certain  Degree  of 
Obflinacy,  which  the  Grace  of  God  extends  iiot 
to,  or  attempts  not  to  conquer.  My  Spirit 
fhall  not  always  flrive  with  Man,  faid  God, 
with  refpedt  to  the  old  World  b.  They  were 
<yone  too  far,  to  be  curable  by  the  ordinary 
Methods  of  Grace  :  And  an  All-wife  God 

I  3  woul4 


134      ^^  Nature  and  Tokens 

would  not  fend  Them  an  irrefijlible  Grace 
(which  had  been  improper)  to  convert  Them ; 
but  He  fent  a  Flood  to  defiroy  Them  :  So  in 
the  Cafe  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrhah^  He  attemp- 
ted not,  by  any  ordinary  or  extraordinary  Grace ^ 
to  reclaim  Them  ;  but  rain'd  down  Fire  and 
Brimjlone  from  Heaven,  to  confume  Them, 
The  Reafon  of  all  which  is,  that  Men,  con- 
fide red  as  Free-agents^  mufi:  be  reformed  by 
the  gentler  Meafures^  or  none  :  If  They  will 
not  be  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  They 
fhall  not  be  driven  -,  becaufe  then  their  Virti{£ 
would  have  Nothing  of  Choice  in  it,  and  con- 
fequently  would  be  no  Virtue  at  all,  in  any 
proper  Senfe  of  the  Word,  nor  meet  for  a  Ke- 
ward. — So  much  for  my  feco^id  general  Head* 
I  proceed  now,  thirdly^ 

III. 

To  enquire,  by  ivhat  Marks  or  Tokens  We 
may  difcern  when  the  Holy  Spirit  operates 
upon  Us,  and  when  We  are  led  or  conduced  by 
Jiim. 

The  Marks  or  Tokens  of  the  Spirit's  operating 
appear  chiefly,  either  in  Chech  of  Confcience  dif- 
fuading  us  from  Evil,^  or  in  godly  Motions  in- 
citing us  to  What  is  right  and  good.  For, 
tho'  what  paiTes  within  us  of  that  Kind  is  not 

difiingiiijl:" 


of  the  Spirit's  Operation.       13^ 

dijiinguljhable ^  by  the  Manner  of  it,  from  the 
natural  Workings  of  our  own  Minds  j  yet  jR^- 
'uelation^  in  Conjundlion  with  our  enhghtened 
Reafon,  does  abundantly  affure  Us,  that  every 
good  l^houghtj  Coujijel,  and  Defire  comcth  from 
alcove,  and  is  the  Work  oi  fuper-natural  Grace 
upon  the  Hearts 

But  before  We  draw  fuch  Conclulion,  with 
refpeft  to  any  particular  Thought  which  pafTes 
within,  fpecial  Care  fhould  be  taken,  that  we 
proceed  upon  fure  Grounds  in  the  forming  our 
Judgment  of  it  :  Otherwife,  We  may  be  apt 
to  afcribe  the  Rovings  of  Fancy ^  or  mere  Dreams 
of  our  own,  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Qod. 

Some  very  good  Men,  but  of  a  melancholy 
Caft,  have  been  obferved  to  make  it  a  Rule  to 
Themfelves,  in  Cafes  of  Perplexity,  to  lean  to 
that  Sidfe  wherein  They  find  moil  Eafe  to  their 
own  Minds ;  concluding,  that  the  Reace  which 
They  experience,  is  it  felf  a  Symptom  of  Divine 
DireBion.  The  Rule  is  a  good  general  Rule  ; 
becaufe,  in  moft  Cafes,  a  Man*s  own  Mind  is 
his  beft  Cafiiift^  in  judging  of  right  and  wrong, 
of  good  and  evil.  But  yet  fometimes  it  hap- 
pens, that  a  Perfon  may  be  under  the  Influ- 
ence of  unperceived  Prejudices,  or  PaJJions^ 
which  warp  Him  to  a  Side,  and  lay  a  Bias 
upon  Hiiji :  And  therefore  there  is  no  fafe  and 
I  4  certain 


136      72^  Nature  <5;;^(/ Tokens 

certain  Rule  to  go  by,  in  fuch  Cafes,  but  a 
flriifl  Examination  into  the  Nature  and  ^lality 
of  the  Adion  :  And  if,  upon  cool  Reflexion, 
We  find  that  What  We  are  inwardly  diffuaded 
from,  is  really  m/,  or  What  We  are  inwardly 
fromfted  to^  is  really  good^  then  may  W^fafe^ 
ly  and  juftly  afcribe  Jiich  Motions  to  The  Holy 
Spirit  of  God. 

As  to  our  judging  of  our  wJoole  Co?idu6l,  and 
whether,  or  how  far,  We  are  therein  moved 
or  conducted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  We  have  a 
fafe  Rule  to  go  by ;  namely,  the  Rule  of  God's 
Coiumandmeiits.  Whofoever  is  born  of  God,  doth 
7iot  commit  Sin  ^  -,  that  is,  doth  not  allow  Him- 
fclf  in  any  known  Jinful  Habit  or  Pradlice.  He 
that  keepeth  GodV  Commandmejifs  (as  St.  John 
obferves)  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  Him  ^, 
St.  Paul  alfo  to  the  fame  Purpofe  fays;  that, 
if  We  li-ve  in  the  Spirit,  We  Ihall  walk  in  the 
Spirit  c  :  And  becaufe  fuch  Walking  is  beft 
feen  by  the  Fruits,  He  enumerates  the  Fruits 
of  the  Spirit,  in  the  fame  Place :  The  Fruit 
of  the  Spirit  (fays  He)  is  Loije,  Joy,  Peace, 
Long-fuffering,  Gentlenefs,  Goodnefs,  Faith,  Meek- 
ncfs,  'Tempera?ice^.  In  fhort,  the  only  fure 
Marks  and  Tokens  of  our  being  condiiSled  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  are  a  ferious  and  fledfaft  Be- 
lief 

«  ijohniil.  9.                              cGal.v.  25. 
•* iii-  24^  "* V.  22,  23, 


of  the  Spirit's  Operation.       137 

lief  of  what  the  fame  Spirit  hath  taught  Us, 
and  a  confcientious  Obedience  to  all  the  Laws 
of  the  Gofpel, 

IV. 

I  pafs  on  to  the  Fourth  and  lafl  Particular, 
namely.  The  Vfe  and  Improvement  to  be  made 
of  the  Whole. 

I.  One  great  Vfe  is,  to  be  ever  mindful  of  the 
World  of  Spirits  whereunto  We  belong  ;  and 
particularly  of  that  Blejf'ed  Spirit,  Who  prefides 
over  Us,  and  whofe  Temple  We  are,  while  We 
behave  as  becomes  Us.  We  are  ufed  to  look 
upon  Our  Selves  as  the  very  lowef  Order  of  in- 
telligent Beings,  and  perhaps  very  juftly  :  But 
yet  I  know  not  what  other  Order  of  Creatures 
there  is  which  can  boaft  of  higher  Privileges 
than  We  5  while  God  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Gho/l  vouchfafe  to  7?2ake  their  Abode  with 
Us,  and  to  accept  even  of  our  earthly  Bodies 
(while  clean  and  undefiled)  as  their  common 
Temple  to  dwell  in. 

This  Coniideration,  by  the  Way,  may  ferve 
to  fliew  Us  the  Folly  of  All  Thofe,  Who  have 
thought  it  below  the  Divine  Majefty  to  take 
upon  Him  Flejld  and  Blood,  and  have  made  That 
their  Pretext  for  difpu ting  theDm/^Z/yof  our 
Blejjed  Saviour,  For,  if  it  is  not  below  the  Ma- 
jefty  even  of  God  the  Father,  to  abide,  in  fome 

Senfe, 


138      7he  Nature  and  Tokens 

Senfe,  'with  Flejh  and  Blood',  How  can  it  be 
thought  betieath  the  Dignity  of  God  the  Son,  to 
take  our  Nature  upon  Hi?n  ?  Befides,  true  Ef- 
fential  Majefly  can  fufFer  no  Detriment,  can 
never  be  impaired  by  any  gracious  Condefcenfi- 
ons  :  But  the  greater  the  Divine  Condejcenfion 
is,  the  brighter  is  the  Glory  :  Therefore  All 
the  Three  Perfo?is  of  the  eternal  Godhead  have 
condejcended  to  dwell,  in  godlike  Manner,  even 
with  mortal  Man.  Should  not  This  Confider- 
ation  move  Us  to  fet  the  lefs  Value  upon 
Things  bebiv,  and  to  elevate  our  AfFedlions  to 
Things  above  f 

2.  Another  life  to  be  made  of  the  prefent 
Meditation,  is,  to  be  ever  mindful  of  putting 
up  our  devout  Prayers  to  the  Throne  of  Grace, 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  alway  dwell  with 
Us,  and  never  depart  from  Us  :  But  then,  to 
make  our  Prayers  the  more  effeBual,  We 
fliould  take  Care  to  avoid  all  fuch  evil  PraBi- 
^^es  as  may  offend,  or  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  and  move  Him  to  defert  Us,  or  to  grow 
eilranged  from  Us. 

3.  Thirdly,  and  laflly,  lince  the  Benefit  of 
all  depends,  at  length,  upon  our  own  willing 
Compliance  J  and  hearty  Endeavours,  let  Us  make 
it  our  cojifiant  Refolution  to  attend  the  Motions, 
and  to  obey  the  Suggeflions  of  God's  Holy  Spirit ; 

and 


of  the  Spirit's  Operation.       139 

and  fo  to  nvcrk  out  our  own  Sahation,  with  Fear 
and  T^rembling  ^  While  God  works  in  Us,  and 
for  Us,  We  muft  alfo  work  for  Oiirfelves^  or 
elfe  his  Grace  is  fent  in  vain.  Therefore,  tho* 
the  Pjdhniji  prays  to  God,  to  create  in  Him  a 
clean  Hearty  and  a  new  Spirit^  ;  yet  elfe  where 
God  Himfelf,  fpeaking  to  his  People,  fays, 
Cafi  away  from  Tou  all  your  Tranfgrejtons,  make 
Tou  a  new  Heart,  and  a  new  Spirit  c.  So  then 
a  good  Heart  and  a  good  Life  are  God's  Work^ 
and  they  are  our  Work  alfo  :  They  are  a  Mix- 
ture, or  Compound  oiBoth.  God  will  never  fail 
to  perform  his  Part,  provided  only  that  We 
are  not  wanting  in  Ours.  X^i^  We  therefore 
iirfl:,  the  appointed  Means  of  Grace  (appointed 
by  God)  fuch  as  Hearing,  Reading,  Prayings 
and  receiving  the  Holy  Communion ;  for  Thefe 
are  the  ordinary  Injirumenfs  of  Grace,  the  Con- 
duits or  Channels,  in  and  by  which  God  conveys 
it.  Take  We  Care  to  comply  with,  and  obey 
the  Grace  of  God  once  received,  and  to  bring 
forth  the  Fruits  of  it  in  our  Lives  and  Con- 
verfations. 

a  Philip,  xi.  12.      ^  Pfal.  li.  lO.      «  Ezek.  xviii.  30,  31, 


SERMON 


^^=^?i^^^^ 


SERMON    VIII. 

The  Springs  and  Motives  o£  falfe  Pre-- 
fences  to  the  Holy  Spirit  ^  with  the 
Rules  and  Marks  of  tryiitg  and  de- 
teding  them. 


I  John  iv.  i. 

Beloved.^  believe  not  every  Spirit^  hut  try 
the  Spirits  whether  they  are  of  God, 

U  R  prefent  Feftival  ^  is  the  Me- 
morial of  the  awfal  coming  of 
God's  Holy  Spi?it  upon  the  A- 
poftles,  purfuant  to  our  Lord's 
Promife  -,  and  is  particularly  de- 
dicated to  the  Honour  of  that  Divine  Perfon, 
the  Third  Perjbiz  of  the  adorable  Godhead. 
Him  We  ought  to  honour  in  every  Way  that 
either  Sacred  Writ,   or  our  ov/n  enlighten'd 

Reafoii 

2  Whltfunday, 


1425  l^oe  Trial  of  Spirits. 

Reafon  hath  pointed  out  to  Us  :   More  parti- 
cularly, in  guarding  with  utmoft  Care,  againft 
all  Ahiifes  of  that  High  Name  ;  againft  imput- 
ing any  fond  Fancies^  or  Follies,  or  Frenlies 
to  the  Bleffed  Spirit  of  God.     Simon  Ma- 
gus, difturbed  in  Head  and  corrupt  in  Heart, 
was  ambitious  of  the  'Thing,    for  the   Sake 
chiefly  of  the  Name  -,  affeding  to  give  it  out, 
that  Himfelf  was  fome  Great  One  ^ ;  or  fome 
great  Power  of  God^,     And  when  He  could 
jnot  obtain  it,  being  altogether  unworthy  of  it. 
He  endeavoured  (as  We  learn  from  Church- 
Hiftory)  to  make  up  with  Fi5lion  and  Oftenta- 
tiouy  what  was  wanting  in   FaB ;  pretending 
that  at  fome  Times  He  had  been  the  great  O- 
racle  or  Reprefentative  of  God  the  Father  to 
the  Samaritans y  and  at  other  Times  of  the  Son 
to  the  'Jews,  and  again  of  the  Holy  Ghojl  to  the 
Gentiles,     So  induftrious  was  He  to  magnify 
Himfelf  under  fair  Pretences,  thereby  hoping 
to  draw  the  World  after  Him  j  as  He  did  fome 
Part  of  it,  gaining  Profelytes  among  the  Ig- 
norant, Credulous,  and  Undifcernins.     This 
Kind  of  Traffick  for  Fame  was  conilantly  car- 
ried on  by  Some  or  Other,  under  fome  Shape 
or  other,    during  the  firft  Ages  of  the  Church  j 
and  it  has  been  continued  in  various  Ways  and 

in 

•  Aftsviii.  9,  ^  Aasviii,  10,  18,'  19. 


/ 


jHje  Trial  of  Spirits.  1 43 

in  different  Forms,  thro'  all  fucceediog  Ages, 
down  to  this  Day.  It  is  one  of  the  moft  re- 
fined Artifices  of  Satan's  Policy  :  And  God 
has  permitted  it  for  the  Trial  of  his  Faithful 
Servants ;  that  They  may  be  proved  and  ex- 
ercifed  every  Way,  and  may  learn  to  be  as 
much  upon  their  Guard  againft  any  Surprize 
of  their  Underjiandings,  as  againfi:  any  Seduc- 
tion of  their  Wills.  It  is  fufficient,  that  both 
the  New  T^ejlament  and  Old  have  given  flrong, 
repeated  Warnings  againfl:  every  Temptation 
of  that  Kind ;  and  have  not  only  commanded 
Us  to  ftand  upon  our  Guard,  in  fuch  Cafes, 
but  have  alfo  laid  dov^n  Marks  and  Rules^ 
whereby  to  difcover,  and  whereby  to  repel 
every  Wile  of  Satan,  and  every  the  fubtil- 
efl:  Engine  amongft  all  his  Devices. 

As  to  this  Particular,  there  are  many  Cau- 
tions againft  it  inferted  up  and  down  in  the 
Sacred  Writings  :  And  I  have  here  made 
Choice  of  one  which  appears  to  be  as  ex- 
prefiive  and  affeding  as  any,  deliver'd  by  St. 
John,  the  latefi  Apojik  :  Beloved,  Believe  Jiot 
E'tJery  Spirit,  but  try  the  Spirits  whether  'They 
are  of  God,  and  fo  on.  Which  Words  very 
plainly  pointed  at  the  falfe  Pretenders  to  the 
Spirit,  appearing  in  thofe  early  Days  :  Men 
that  vainly  boafted  of  Their  being  filled  with 

#  the 

2 


I 


144-  ^ke  Trial  of  Spirits. 

the  Holy  Ghoji^  inftrud:ed  extraordinarily  from 
above,  illuminated  from  on  high,  and  com- 
miffion'd  to  teach  and  gather  Converts,  in  Op- 
polition  to  the  truly  authorized  and  regular  Mi^ 
nijlers.  The  Apoftle  does  not  exhort  Us  al- 
together to  negleB  or  pafs  by  every  vain  Pre- 
tender (for  then  hov^  Ihall  We  know  whether 
They  are  vain,  or  not  ?)  but  He  hids  \is  fufpend 
our  Faith,  and  withold  our  Affent  from  Them  5 
and,  in  the  mean  while,  to  try  and  examine 
what  their  boafled  Pretences  amount  to.  In 
difcourfmg  further,  my  Delign  is : 

I.  To  enquire  fomewhat  particularly,  into 
the  Springs  or  Motives  from  v^^hich  thofe 
falfe  Fretences  to  the  Spirit  generally  pro- 
ceed. .-_ 

II.  To  confider,  by  what  Rides  or  Marks 
any  Pretences  of  that  Kind  may  be  triedy 
and  difcovered  to  be  falfe  and  vain, 

III.  To  obferve,  how  much  it  concerns  every 
pious  and  confiderate  Chriftian  to  make 
the  Trials  and  to  be  upon  his  Guard  in 
fuch  Cafes. 

I. 
I  am  firfi  to  enquire,  from  what  Springs  or 
Motives  the  falfe  Fretences  to  the  Spirit  gene- 
I  ♦  rally 


The  Trial  of  Spirits.  145 

rally  proceed.  I  have  before  hinted  that  Vai?i- 
Glo?')\  or  a  Thirft  after  Fa??ie,  is  often  the  i?io- 
img  Spring,  the  moft  prevailing  Motive.  But 
to  go  a  little  deeper  ^  Self-love,  of  fome  Kind 
or  other,  is  the  general  Foundation,  the  Root 
of  all.  Many  and  various  are  the  lllufions  of 
Self-love 'y  and  they  often  prevail,  not  only  with 
Hypocrites,  and  Men  of  double  Hearts,  but 
even  v^^ith  well-meaning  Perfons  of  honeft 
Minds,  but  of  weak  or  diftemper'd  Heads. 
Were  None  but  ill-defigning  Men  to  make 
falfe  Pretences  to  the  Spirit,  The  Temptation 
would  be  but  coarfly  laid,  and  would  be  lefs 
apt  to  deceive.  The  Finenefs  of  Satan's 
Policy  chiefly  lies,  in  making  ufe  even  of  pious, 
honeft,  well-meaning,  but  unwary  Perfons  to 
work  v/ith.  God  may  pity  and  pardon  the 
Men  fo  made  ufe  of  for  the  Trial  of  Others, 
if  their  Ignorance  was  unconquerable,  or  their 
Infirmities  unavoidable:  If  Theywere  naturally 
half-witted,  or  half-diflradted,  God  may  make 
Them  merciful  Allowances :  But  He  will  make 
no  Allowances  for  Perfons  of  better  Senfe,  or 
Wronger  Faculties,  if  They  fuffer  Themifelves 
to  be  milled  by  fuch  infatuated  Inllruments. 
A  warm  Zeal  for  Religion  may  often  go  along 
with  Want  of  Knowledge^  or  found  Difcretion  : 
And  Nothing  is  more  common,  than  for  un- 
Vol.  II.  K  thinking 


1 46         The  Trial  of  Spirits. 

thinking  Men  to  mifreckon  their  own  Talents, 
and  to  take  falfe  Meafures  very  ignorantly  of 
Themfelves.  Self-love  is  natural  to  all  Men, 
and  is  the  abiding  Pulfe  of  every  One's  Heart ; 
Which,  if  it  be  not  carefully  watch'd  and 
guarded,  will  fometimes  grievoully  impofe  even 
upon  Wife  and  Shrewd  Men  5  but  much  more 
upon  the  Carelefs  and  Undifcerning.  Who 
does  not  wijh  to  be  One  of  the  Favourites  of 
Heaven,  and  to  be  extraordinarily  illuniinated, 
or  conduEied  by  God's  Holy  Spirit  f  Let  but  a 
fond  Self-Lover  dwell  often  and  long  upon  this 
deluding  Thought,  and  He  will  be  apt  by 
Degrees,  efpecially  if  otherwife  full  of  Conceit^ 
to  fancy  Himfelf  70  illuminated,  and^  conduB^ 
cdy  as  He  dejires  to  be :  And  then  every  warm 
Sally  of  Lnagijiation,  or  every  imifiial  Emotion 
in  his  Breaft  (coming  perhaps  from  the  Tempter^ 
or  from  Mi^  own  fond  Dreams)  will  immediately 
be  conflrued  as  a  godly  Feelings  and  an  infallible 
Mark  of  fome  Divine  Impidfe,  fome  fecret 
Conta5i  of  God's  Holy  Spirit.  When  the  plea- 
iing  Delufion  is  once  indulged  thus  far,  the 
Man  begins  prefently  to  fancy  Himfelf  a  Kind 
of  Saint  upon  Earth,  or  perhaps  an  Apofile  : 
Or,  if  the  Diftemper  runs  higher  (as  we  have 
known  feveral  Inftances)  He  may  conceive 
Himfelf  greater  than  any  Prophet  of  the  Old 
**  W  Tcjlame?tty 


*The  Trial  of  spirits,  j^y 

^efiament,  or  Apofile  of  the  New  :  All  Self  II- 
hifion,  and  little  fhort  of  down-right  Frenzy! 

It  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  that  Perfons  of  this 
unhappy  Complexion  muft  have  fome  Colours^ 
fome  Appearances^  whereby  to  deceive  their 
own  Hearts.  The  Colours  commonly  are  fome 
great  corporal  Morfijications  and  Aiijierities^ 
long  Watchings^  long  Fajlings^  and  perhaps  im- 
menfe  Fains  taken  in  uncommanded  Services,  fuch 
as  God  has  not  required  at  their  Hands.  Their 
fubmitting  to  fuch  painful  Services^  They  look 
upon  as  infallible  Proofs  of  their  own  Sincerity^ 
and  of  fome  marvellous  Grace  of  God :  Where- 
in again,  They  often  deceive  their  own  Hearts, 
and  are  not  aware  of  the  fecret  Workings  and 
fond  Deluiions  of  their  own  Self- Love  :  For, 
after  all,  there  is  not  half  fo  much  Self-De- 
7iial  lliewn  in  thofe  voluntary  Avfierities^  ac- 
companied with  Fride  and  Oftentation^  as  there 
is  in  a  lefs-pretending  Con  dud:,  fquared  by  the 
Rule  of  God s  Commandments. 

If  Perfons,  fuppofe,  in  a  green  Age^  by  the 
Prad:ice  of  thofe  Aiflerities^  can  once  come  to 
think  T^hemfehes  wifer^  and  greater,  and  every 
way  more  confiderable  as  Teachers,  than  the 
oldeji  and  wifefi  and  beflfludied  Divines ;  what 
a  Compendious  Method  is  thereby  laid  of  arri- 
ving fuddenly  to  deep  Learning  without  Study, 

Vol.  II.  ^.2  2^ 


1 4^  7he  Trial  of  Spirits. 

and  to  profound  Wifdom  without  the  Pain  of 
Thought !  And  who  would  not  wifli,  at  fo 
cheap  and  eafy  a  Rate,  and  in  fo  fhort  a  Time, 
to  come  at  the  Top  of  their  Profeflion  ?  Efpe- 
cially  if  neither  their  natural  Talents,  nor  ac^ 
quired  Furniture ,  could  afford  Them  any  rea- 
fonable  Profpe6t  of  ever  becoming  confiderable 
at  all  in  the  common  and  ordinary  Methods.  A 
forivard  Ambition^  joined  with  as  much  Sloth, 
and  Impatience,  may  eafily  prompt  a  Man  to 
flatter  Himfelf  in  fuch  a  Way :  And  certain- 
ly the  Self- Denial  which  He  exercifes  in  fome 
religious  Aii/ierities,  is  not  worth  the  mention- 
ing, in  comparifon  to  the  prodigious  Self-In- 
dulgence which,  upon  the  whole,  is  manifeflly 
feen  in  it.  It  is  compounding  for  Fame,  Re- 
putation, and  Authority,  by  a  few  fliort  vo- 
luntary Tenances,  and  by  making  very  familiar 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  j  at  the  fame  time 
faving  all  the  Wearinefs  of  the  Flefli  felt  in 
hard  Studies,  all  the  irkfome  Labour  of  Lan- 
guages, Hifory,  and  Critical  Enguiries,  which 
are  ordinarily  requilite  to  form  a  judicious  In- 
terpreter of  God's  Word,  and  a  faithful  Guide 
of  Souls.  While  Others  are  content  to  wait 
for  Wifdom  'till  an  advanced  Age,  "and  to  go 
on,  the  mean  while,  in  the  flow  Methods  of 
Liibour  and  Induflry  which  God  has  appoint- 
ed; 


•!*. 


y&  Trial  of  Spirits,  \  ^g 

cd ;  Thefe  Pretenders  to  the  Sph^it  affect  to  be 
'Wife  at  o?ice,  and  wife  in  a  moji  eminent  Degree-^ 
wife  by  hifpiration.  Who  fees  not,  that  La-, 
zinefs,  and  Love  of  Eafe,  and  Self-Flattery,  and 
Eagernefs  for  an  early  Pre-eminence,  may  na- 
turally tempt  weak  Men  to  fuch  Self-Deluiions  ? 
I  do  not  fay  that  They  themfelves  are  com- 
monly aware  of  the  fecret  Springs  by  which 
They  are  fo  moved,  not  being  ufed  to  cool  Re- 
]fled:ion,  or  fober  Thought.  There  are  no 
Charms  more  delufive  than  the  Charms  of  Self- 
Love  5  and  the  fimpler  Men  are,  the  lefs  do 
they  perceive  them,  and  the  more  liable  are 
They  to  be  mifled  by  them.  Even  Children 
often  difcover  a  great  deal  of  Cunning  which 
their  Self-Love  teaches  Them,  and  which  They 
never  refle(ft  upon  3  neither  do  They  fo  much 
as  perceive  by  what  Springs  They  are  acftuated ; 
tho'  a  judicious  Stander-by  will  eafily  look 
through  it,  and  as  eafily  account  for  it :  Such 
may  be,  fuch  probably  is  the  Cafe  with  every 
well-meaning  falfe  Pretender  to  the  Spirit.  As 
to  fubtile  and  defgning  Hypocrites,  I  meddle  not 
with  their  Cafe:  The  iinefl  Hypocrify mayfoon 
be  difcovered,  and  fo  is  the  lefs  apt  to  deceive 
much,  or  long :  But  the  well-jneanijig  Pretend- 
ers to  the  Spirit,  who  through  a  fecret  Self-^ 
Flattery,  and  a  Caft  of  Melancholy,  firil  de- 


K  3    .  ceive 


150  'The  Trial  of  Spirits, 

ceive  The fnf elves,  are,  of  all  Men,  the  befl:  fit- 
ted to  deceive  Other  Perfons.  Their  artlefs 
Simplicity^  together  with  their  hearty  and  af- 
JeBionate  Frofejjions^  are  very  apt  to  win  upon 
the  beft-natured  and  beft-difpofed  Chriftians, 
which  the  Tempter  knows  full  well ;  and  He 
never  exercifes  a  deeper  Policy,  or  gains  a  great- 
er Triumph,  than  when  He  can  thus  decoy 
Some  of  the  moil  religious  of  God's  Servants, 
deluding  Them  in  a  pious  way,  and,  as  it  were, 
foiling  Them  with  their  own  Weapons.  But 
let  every  confiderate  Chriflian,  in  fuch  Cafes, 
call  to  mind  the  good  Advice  of  the  Text  5 
firfc,  to  try  and  examine  the  Spirits  pretended, 
whether  they  are  of  God.  We  are  not  com- 
manded to  examine,  whether  the  Pretenders 
are  Sincere  Men,  or  Hypocrites  :  That  may 
often  be  doubtful,  and  it  may  be  hard  to  pafs  any 
certain  Judgment  upon  the  Cafe :  Befides,  that 
it  does  not  fo  much  concern  Us.  For,  cur  Fault 
will  not  be  the  lejs,  whether  We  are  milled  by 
a  defigning  Hypocrite,  or  a  blind  Zealot,  or  a  ra- 
inng  Enthuftaji.  Care  mufl  be  taken,  not  to  be 
miffed  by  Any  ;  neither  by  the  cunning  Craf ti- 
ne j's  of  One,  nor  by  the  Simplcnejs  of  Another, 
nor  by  the  Madnefs  of  a  Third.  But  we  muft 
try  and  examine  the  Frctences  of  Each,  and 

2;uard 


The  Trial  of  Spirits,  151 

guard  equally  againft  All.    I  proceed  therefore 
to  vix^  ficond  Head  of  Difcourfe,   namely, 

II. 

To  confider  by  what  Rules  or  Marks  any 
Pretences  of  that  kind  may  be  tried,  and  de^ 
te5ied  to  be  falfe  and  vain. 

I.  Boajiing  and  Oftenfation  are  a  flat  Contra- 
diSlion  to  the  vtvy  fuppofal  of  the  ordinary  Graces 
boafted  of ;  becaufe  Humility  and  Modejly  are 
the  very  chief  Graces,  upon  which  all  the  reft 
hang.  If  a  Man  thinks  Himfelf  endowed  with 
the  Graces  of  the  Spirit,  let  Him  fliew  it  in 
his  meek  Deportment,  and  by  his  good  Works  : 
But  let  Him  not  trumpet  the  Fame  of  it  through 
the  World,  left  his  n^ery  doing  it  lliould  be 
taken  for  a  Demonfiration  that  He  has  not  the 
Spirit  of  God  5  but  that  fome  Spirit  of  Delu- 
fion  has  crept  in,  in  his  Stead.  For,  as  a  Man, 
by  boajiing  of  his  good  Breeding,  does,  in  that 
very  Ad  or  Inflance,  prove  Himfelf  ill-bred  h 
and,  in  boajiing  of  his  Wifdom,  fhews  his  Want 
of  it  i  fo  a  Man,  who  prefumes  to  boaft  of  the 
Grace  of  the  Spirit^  betrays  his  Want  of  Grace 
in  that  ''cery  Injlance.  Our  BlefTed  Lord  re- 
buked the  Pharifees  ^ov  founding  a  Trumpet  be- 
fore Them  in  the  Synagogues,and  in  the  Streets, 
that  They  might  have  Glory  of  Men^-whcnThty 

K  4  4y 


1^2  The  Trial  of  Spirits 

did  their  Alms  ^ :  But  What  would  He  have 
iaid  to  Men,  who  fhould  be  noifng  it  ahroady 
how  full  They  are,  not  of  one  Virtue  only,  but 
of  all  Virtues y  and  of  all  Graces  ?  For  That 
muft  be  meant  by  htingjhll  of  the  Spirit,  if  it 
means  any  Thing.  This  Way  oi  J'oimdi?2g  the 
"Trumpet  before  Them,  to  draw  the  Eyes  and 
Attention  of  the  World  after  Them  (without 
Miracles  to  prove  their  Miffion)  is  much  more 
indecent,  and  immodeft,  than  what  the  Pha- 
rij'ees  did  ;  befides  the  additional  Trofanejiefs  of 
making  a  very  irreverent  Ufe  of  the  tremendous 
Name  of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  To  be  fliort.  You 
may  depend  upon  it,  that  a  Religion  fo  7ioiJy, 
(o  pompous,  fo  theatricaL  as  what  I  have  men- 
tion'd,  is  very  little  a-kin  to  the  hufnhle,  and 
fuodeji,  and  unpretending  Religion  of  Christ. 
2.  Another  fure  Mark  of  a  falfe  Spirit,  is 
'Dljohedience  to  Rule  and  Order,  Contempt  of  law- 
ful Authority,  and  efpecially  any  intruding  into 
What  does  not  belong  to  Them,  or  the  attempt- 
ing to  draw  off  the  People  of  God  from  that 
regidar  and  Jianding  Minijlry  which  God  has 
ordained,  to  follow  Teachers  fet  up  by  their 
own  Authority,  that  is,  by  no  Authority  at  all. 
Such  irregular  Pradtices  come  not  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.     God  is  not  the  Author  of  Confafon^  but 

of 

^  Mi*tth.  vi.  2, 


'The  Trial  of  Spirits.  153 

of  Peace ;  as  in  all  Churches  of  the  Sai?its  a.  St. 
Peter's  Rule  is:  Submit  your  felves  to  every  Or- 
dinance of  Ma?i^  (that  is,  lawful  Or: dLm-Sinct)  for 
the  Lord's  Sake^.  Indeed,  the  Apoftles  h2.djpe- 
cial  Commiffion  from  God  to  oppofe  Human  Or- 
dinances^ and  to  difiurb  the  "Religions  then  pre- 
vailing, which  \NQ^Qfalfe  Religions  :  But  They 
had  the  Power  of  working  Miracles^  which 
were  their  Credentials  to  authorize  Them  in  it, 
and  their  Heavenly  Warrants  for  What  They 
did  :  Otherwife,  their  Methods  of  proceeding 
would  have  been  both  unwarranted  and  vain. 
When  our  pious  Reformers,  about  200  years 
ago,  went  about  the  rejloring  Religion  to  its 
ancient  Purity,  They  did  it  in  a  regular  and 
orderly  Way,  under  the  Dire^iion  and  Counte- 
nance of  the  riding  Powers,  and  with  a  due 
Regard  to  fuch  a  regular  Miniflry  as  Christ 
had  appointed  in  his  Church.  Thofe  excellent 
Men  were  indeed  full  of  the  Spirit,  which 
appear' d  in  their  wife  Counfels  and  exemplary 
Co?idu5i,  and  was  vilible,  in  a  Manner,  to  ail 
good  Men ;  unlefs  We  may  except  Them- 
felves,  whofe  great  Humility  and  Modefly  would 
fcarce  permit  Them  to  fee  Thofe  ihining  Graces 
of  their  own,  which  could  not  be  hid  from 
the  obferving  World.     Under  fuch  a  regular 

and 

*  t  Cor.  xiv.  33.  ^1  ?et.  ii.  13. 


154  ?^^  Irial  of  Spirits* 

and  authorized  Minijiry,  fo  jullly  fettled,  cur 
Church  (God  be  thanked  )  has  fubfi fled  and 
flourifh'd,  and  does  to  this  Day  :  And  They 
who  any  way  prefume  to  difiurb  that  co?nely 
Order,  or  to  throw  any  Contempt  upon  it,  only 
to  draw  Difciples  to  ^hemfelveSj  cannot  be  led 
by  the  Spirit  in  Jiich  Attempts  3  except  it  be  a 
Spirit  of  Dehifion,  altogether  oppofite  to  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

What,  the'  They  pretend  to  be  Minijiers  of 
Righteoujnefs,  and  afFed:  to  outvie  Others  in 
fome  StriBiieffcs  of  their  own  (loofe  all  the 
while  in  the  main  T^hings,  which  are  of  the 
laft  Importance  to  Peace,  Order,  and  Unity) 
is  there  any  thing  flrange  in  fuch  Condudl  ? 
There  were  Chriftian  Teachers  in  the  firll 
Age,  who  vied  even  with  St.  Paul,  and  af- 
fed:ed  to  fet  up  a  JiriBer  and  purer  Religion 
than  He  could  pretend  to,  in  Order  to  bring 
Him  under  Contempt.  But  what  faid  He  of 
Them,  writing  by  the  Spiiit  of  God  f  He  faid 
thus  :  Such  are  falfe  Apofles,  deceitfid  Work- 
ers,  tranforming  T^hemjehes  into  the  Apoflles  of 
Christ.  And  no  Marvel  -,  for  Satan  Him- 
felf  is  [fome times]  transformed  into  an  Angel 
of  Light,  therefore  it  is  ?jo  great  Tlmtg  if 
his  [Satan'^]  Minifiers  alfo  be  transformed  as 
the  Minifcrs  of  Righteoujnefs  5  i^chofe  End  Jhall 

be 


7^^  "Trial  of  Spirits.  155 

be  according  to  their  Works  a.  What  avail  mag- 
nificent Words,  and  fmooth  Speeches  ?  Per- 
haps {onitfalfe  Pretenders  may  labour  earneftly 
to  convert  Men  from  Gluttony  and  Drunkeniiefs, 
from  Curfmg  and  Sweari?ig^  from  Fornication 
and  Adultery^  or  the  like.  Well  :  What  is 
there  of  this  Kind,  which  is  not  done  by  the 
regular  Minijiry^  and  done  alfo  in  a  more  regu- 
lar^ and  much  more  edifying  Way  ?  But  if, 
v^^hile  fuch  Pretenders  endeavour  to  draw  Men 
of[  from  fome  Vices,  They  lead  Them  into  others 
as  bad,  or  ivorfe,  namely  into  Fa^ion  and 
Schijm,  into  Sidi??gs  and  Parties,  into  a  Co?i- 
tempt  of  Pule,  Order,  and  Authority,  and  into 
a  SeceJJion  from  thtiY proper  Pajiors,  their  much 
more  knowing  and  more  faithful  Guides  (befides 
turning  the  Minds  of  the  People  off  unto  Fa- 
bles and  Reveries,  inflead  of  wholefom  truths, 
and  encouraging  Them  in  the  Wantonnefs  of 
itching  Ears)  -,  I  fay,  if  fuch  Pretenders  be- 
have in  this  Way,  it  will  be  manifeil  to  all 
Men  Who  have  their  Senfes  exercifed,  that 
They  have  not  the  Spirit  of  God  to  dired;  Them 
in  What  They  do. 

3.  Another  fure  Mark  of  2.  falfe  Spirit,  is 
the  laying  down  deceitful  Pules  or  Tokens 
i^jhereby  to  judge,  whether,  or  when  a  ^hwhas 

the 

3  2  Cor.  xi.  13,  14,  15. 


1 5  6  T*he  >  Trial  of  Spirits* 

the  Spirit  of  God.  There  have  been  Many,.* 
both  in  former  and  later  Times,  who  have  laid 
great  Strefs  upon  I  knov^  not  vv^hat  JmfMe  E- 
motio?is,  or  violent  Impulfcs,  corning  upon  Them 
at  Time&,  which  They  boldly  and  raihly  im- 
pute to  the  Holy  Spirit ;  prefuming  alfo  to 
date  their  Ccnverfio?i  or  77ew  Birth  (as  They  call 
it)  from  fuch  fanciful  Imprefhons.  There  is 
Bot  one  Syllable  in  Sacred  Writ,  to  counte- 
nance the  Notion  q{  Jiich  Impulfes  :  It  is  all 
mere  FiSlim,  Invention^  Prefumption^  and  ex- 
ceeding dangerous  in  its  IfTue  or  Tendency. 
For,  by  That  hlird  Rule,  a  Man  may  very 
cafily  miftake  the  Siiggcflions  of  Satan,  for 
Divine  Lnpulfes  :  Therefore,  if  They  do  in- 
deed feel  any  E?notiofis  extraordinary,  the  firft 
and  moft  iniportant  Enquir}/  is,  whether  thofe 
Ejuotiom  are  not  really  Satan's  lllufions,  ra- 
ther than  Divine  Impreffims  ;  or  whether  they 
are  not  rather  Marks  oi  Poijejjion,  than  of  hi- 
Jpiration  f  Confidence  is  no  Argument  in  a  dark 
Affair  :  But  it  is  the  rrand  Deceiver's  Artifice 
to  hoodwink  forward  Men  in  a  blind  Rrejump- 
tiony  and  to  blow  Them  up  into  an  Ajjiirance  be- 
yond their  Evidence. 

There  is  but  one  certain  Rule  whereby  to 
know  when  We  are  led  by  the  Spirit ;  and  That 
kj  the  Rule  of  God's  Commandments,     When 

We 


T^e  Trial  of  Spirits.  i^y 

We  fo  think,  and  fo  do,  as  the  Spii^if  of  God 
has  dired;ed  in  God's  Holy  JVo^^d^  then^  and 
the?2  onlj^  are  We  fure  that  We  are  led  by  the 
Spirit^  Qx  born  of  the  Spirit .  St.  John  has  faid 
all  in  a  very  few  Words  :  Whojoe^-cer  is  born 
of  Gody  doth  7mt  commit  Sin  ^ ;  that  is,  doth  not 
allow  Himfelf  in  any  kitown  finful  Pradices. 
T'her€  is  the  Mark,  and  the  only  true  Mark  of 
Rege?2eration,  and  of  the  fpi?'ifiial  Life..  Let 
every  Man  examine  Himfelf  by  this  Rule  : 
And  v^hen  They  can,  upon  Jiire  Grounds, 
fpeak  Pe^ce  to  their  own  Confciences,  then 
let  Them  attribute  the  Glory  of  it  to  God's 
Holy  Spirit,  for  That  is  right  :  But  let  Them 
not  blaze  it  out  to  the  World,  however  certain 
They  are  of  it ;  for  That  will  be  feeking  Ho- 
nour  of  Men,  and  endeavouring  to  flmre  vvith 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  that  Glory  which  belongs 
to  Him  only  ;  and  it  will  be  forfeiting  the  Fa^ 
"cmir  of  that  ''jery  Spirit  whereof  They  fo 
proudly  boafl.  The  Spirit  has  not  given  us  leave 
to  boaft  of  his  Favours  for  our  ov/n  Glory,  or 
Fame  j  much  lefs  to  do  it  for  the  Sake  of  Fre~ 
eminence,  or  to  make  Others  look  lefs  in  Com- 
parifon.  Such  AfFedlation  of  F re-eminence 
Cometh  not  from  above,  but  is  a  fad  Token, 
yea,  and  2i  fatal  Sywptcinoi  an  earthly,  and  a 
fenfual  Spirit, 

lam 

'  I  John  iii.  9.  V.  x3. 


158  The  Trial  of  Spirits • 

.  I  am  aware,  that  th.^  falfe  Pretenders  to  the 
Spirit  have  often  laid  hold  on  that  Text  of 
St.  John,  warping  it  unnaturally,  fo  as  to  draw 
it  to  favour  their  own  fond  Dehifions.  They 
iirft  take  for  granted,  that  They  are  born  of 
God  (which  is  their  fond  Prefumption)  and 
then  They  conclude  that  They  are  without  Sin. 
This  is  vilely  perverting  and  abuling  the  Text : 
For  They  ought  frji  to  know,  that  their  Wayi 
are  right,  and  then  to  draw  their  Concliifion ; 
and  not  vainly  to  prefume  firfl  that  They  have 
the  Spirit,  and  then  from  thence  to  conclude  that 
their  Ways  are  right.  But  fuch  has  often  been 
the  Self-delulive  Method  of  vain  Preteiiders  : 
And  They  have  fometimes  carried  it  fo  far  as 
to  argue,  that  fince  They  are  Saints,  and  born 
of  God  (that  is,  in  their  own  fond  Imaginati- 
on) They  cannot  be  guilty  o^Sin  ;  but  let  Them 
do  What  They  pleafe,  the  Spirit  is  to  warrant 
2^\{}LfanBify  all ;  for  God  fees  no  Sin  in  his  Saints, 
This  is  turning  the  Tables  much  in  the  fame 
Way  as  the  'Romanifis  have  often  done  with 
refpecft  to  their  pretended  Infallibility.  Give 
them  a  thoufand  plain  Proofs  that  They  have 
erred,  and  do  err ;  and  They  will  anfwer  all  by 
telling  youj  that  They  cannot  err.  In  like 
Manner,  tell  fome  falfe  Pretenders  to  the  Spi- 
rit, tliat  They  are  guilty  of  fuch  and  fuch  ma- 

nifefi; 


T^e  Trial  of  Spirit,  159 

nifeft  ImqmtieSy  and  prove  it  upon  Them  by 
plain  Evide?2ce  of  Facf,  They  will  perfift  in  it, 
that  They  cannot  Jm^  becaufe  (which  is  their 
Vanity)  They  are,  in  their  own  Conceit,  born 
cf  Gody  and  led  by  the  Spirit.  How  dangerous 
a  Principle  This  is,  how  produdive  of  all  Un- 
godlinefs,  and  of  the  moil  fliocking  Impieties, 
was  too  fadly  feen  in  the  kjl  Century ^  and  ftands 
upon  Record  in  the  Hiflories  of  thofe  diilrac^ 
ted  Times.  But  enough  hath  been  faid  of  the 
Kiiles  or  Marks  whereby  to  try  and  deteSl  every 
falfe  Pretender  to  the  Spirit, 

III. 

And  now,  for  an  Application  of  the  whole j,- 
give  Me  leave  briefly  to  fuggeflj  how  much 
it  concerns  Us  to  be  upon  our  Guard  in  fuch 
Cafes. 

Religion,  like  all  other  weighty  Concern- 
ments, is  beft  carried  on  in  the  calm,  regularjj 
and  fedate  Way ;  and  therefore  great  Care 
fhould  be  taken,  to  keep  up  the  old  and  well- 
tried  Methods,  rather  than  to  change  them  for 
new  Devices,  which  will  never  anfwer.  If 
Sinners  will  not  hften  to  the  Spirit  of  God 
fpeaking  by  the  Scriptures,  and  by  a  regular 
Miniftry,  They  will  not  liften  to  the  fame 
Spirit  fuppofed  (but  vainly  foppofed)  to  fpeak 

in 
% 


1 60  "the  Trial  of  Spirits, 

in  the  undigejicd^  incoherent^  extemporary  Ef^ 
fufions  of  raw  Teachers.  It  is  eafy  for  warm 
Zealots  of  diftemper'd  Minds  to  throw  Re- 
fle6:ions  upon  the  wifer  and  more  confiderate 
Guides,  Who  come  not  up  to  Their  Degrees  of 
unnatural  Heat  and  Ferment  :  But  a  fmall 
Knowledge  of  Mankind  will  fuffice  to  fhew, 
that  They  Who  will  not  be  converted  by  the 
cool,  calm,  rational  Methods,  will  never  be 
wrought  upon,  as  to  any  good  and  lafting  Ef- 
fedl,  by  Eagernefs  and  Paffion.  If  Sinners, 
wedded  to  their  darling  Vices,  will  not  be  re^ 
gtdarly  reajbned  into  a  Change  of  Life,  We 
mufl  not  become  as  rr>ad  in  one  Way  as  They 
are  in  another,  in  Hopes  to  recover  Them  to 
their  Senfes  :  For  That,  inflead  of  reclaim- 
ing would  but  harden  Them  fo  much  the 
more.  The  World  indeed,  generally,  is  bad 
enough,  always  was,  and  always  will  be  :  But 
ftill  We  mufl  not  take  upon  Us  to  ufe  any 
afeBed  and  iinjufiijiahle  Methods  in  order  to 
mend  it ;  Which  in  reahty  would  not  mend 
it,  but  make  it  worfe.  We  muft  bring 
Men  to  God,  in  God's  ownWa\\  if  We  hope 
to  compafs  it  at  ^all.  The  making  ufe  of 
wrong  Means  for  the  Sake  of  a  good  End^  is 
Nothing  eife  but  doi?ig  Evil  that  Good  may 
come  5    which  is   a   dangerous  and   deteftable 

Pradtice, 


T'he  Trial  of  spirits,  i6i 

Pradicea.  I  fay  then,  that  when  the  Minif- 
ters  of  Christ  have  done  all  that  is  prudent 
and  proper,  and  the  EfFed:  does  not  anfwer. 
They  muft  not  run  wild  Lengths,  in  order  to 
gain  their  Point  :  For,  God  will  fay  to  fuch 
Perfons,  if  You  could  not  prevail  by  Methods 
of  My  Appointment ^  How  could  you  hope  to 
do  it  by  weak  Devices  of  Tour  Own  ?  You 
have  run  wide,  and  far,  to  make  Profelytes  : 
But  Who  fent  you  ?  or  Who  required  it  at 
your  Hands  ?  — There  is  as  much  Mifchief  in 
over-doing,  as  in  under-doing  :  Both  are  e- 
qually  Tranfgreffions  of  the  Divine  Laws,  and 
Deviations  from  the  Ride  of  Right.  Are  They 
eager  and  impatient  to  bring  Sinners  to  a  fober 
Life  ?  It  is  v/ell  They  are,  and  We  commend 
Them  for  it  :  But  there  is  one  Thing  of  ilill 
greater  Importance  to  Them,  which  ought  to 
be  attended  to  in  the  firjl  Place,  which  is,  to 
reft  content  with  God's  appointed  Methods  of 
reforming  the  World,  and  to  proceed  no  far- 
ther than  He  has  given  Leave  ^  to  make  ufe 
ol  found  fudgment  and  Difcretion  in  an  Affair 
of  that  high  Concernment  5  and  to  fubmit  to 
ftop  where  God  requires  it,  as  well  as  to  run 
on  where  He  has  fent  :  Othervvife,  Religion 
will  not  be  promoted,  but  greatly  obftruded 
Vol.  II.  L  and 

*  Rop.  iil.  8. 


1 62  The  Trial  of  Spirits. 

and  expofed  :  And  the  World  will  not  be 
made  wifer  or  better  but  ten  times  wilder 
than  before. 

Thefe  Things  I  have  here  laid  before  You 
in  as  plain  Words,  and  in  as  ftrong  a  Light, 
as  I  could. 

May  That  Divine  Spirit^  whereof  I  have 
been  fpeaking,  dwell  richly  in  Us,  in  all  Wif- 
dom,  and  in  all  Virtues  and  Graces ;  particular- 
ly, in  Soundnefs  of  Mind^  and  in  Humility  of 
Heart,  and  in  Purify  of  Life  and  Manners. 
Such  are  the  Fruits,  fuch  the  Marks  of  the 
Spirifs  Prefnce  with  Us,  and  of  his  Love  to- 
w^ards  Us  :  Which,  that  We  may  evermore 
plentifully  enjoy,  here  and  hereafter,  God  of 
his  Mercy  grant,  through  our  Lord  and  Savi- 
ou r  J  E  s  u  s  Christ.     Amen. 


SERMON 


SERMON    IX. 

The  precife  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 
agaiitjl  the  Holy  Ghojl, 

Matt.  xii.   31,   32. 

Wherefore  I  fay  unto  youy  all  AIa?mer  of 
Sin  and  Blafphe77ty  fhall  be  forgiven 
tmto  Men  :  But  the  Blafphe77iy  againfl 
the  Holy  Ghost  JJjall  7wt  be  for^ 
giveri  unto  Men, 

And  Whofoever  fpeaheth  a  Word  againft 
the  So N  OF  Man,  it  fjjall  be  forgi- 
ven Hi772 :  But  Whofoever  fpeaheth 
againfl  //6^  Holy  Ghost,  it  fijall 
not  be  forgiven  Hi77ty  7ieither  in  this 
Worlds  neither  iit  the  World  to  co7ne. 

i@H  E  S  E  Words  will  lead  Me  to 
M^^^^  treat  of  the  Blajphemy  againji  the 


1^  Holy  Gliofti  a  Matter  which 
has  been  much  talk'd  of,,  and 
>e^%S^  not  always  rightly  underftood : 
For  which  Reafon,  I  the  rather  chufe  to  dif- 
courfe  upon  it. 

Vol.  IJL  L  2  It 


1 64     The  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

It  will  be  convenient,  in  the  firji  Place ,  to 
obferve  How,  and  upon  what  Occajion^  the 
Words  of  the  Text  were  brought  in.  We  have 
an  Account  in  this  Chapter,  of  our  Lord's 
healing  a  blind  and  dumb  Man  Who  had  been 
pofTefTed  by  a  Devil.  The  Scribes  and  Phari- 
fees  Who  came  from  'Jerufalem^  and  obferved 
what  was  done,  very  malicioufly  attributed 
that  great  Miracle,which  our  Lord  had  wrought 
by  the  Spi-rit  of  God,  to  the  Affiftance  of  the 
Devil.  This  Fellow,  faid  They  (fpeaking  in 
Contempt  of  Him)  doth  not  cajl  out  Devils  j  but 
^Beelzebub,  the  Priiice  of  the  Devils  *. 
Our  BlefTed  Lord,  well  knowing  the  Spite  and 
Venom  of  that  execrable  Calumny,  takes  Them 
up  roundly  for  it ;  firft,  confuting  their  Ca- 
vils, and  next,  rebuking  their  Lifolence,  in 
very  plain  and  ilrong  Terms.  He  puts  Them 
in  mind  how  abfurd  and  contradictory  to 
common  Senfe  it  muft  be,  to  imagine  that 
the  Devils  fliould  be  no  wifer  than  to  differ  and 
difagree  among  Themfelves,  in  a  Matter  rela- 
ting to  their  common  Intereft,  which  would 
be  deftroying  their  own  Kingdom.  If  Sa^ 
TAN  cajl  out  Satan,  —  how  fiall  then  his 
Kingdom  ft and^'^ —  After  This,  He  retorts 
their  own  Calumny  upon  Them,   in  order  to 

mani- 

»  Matt.  xii.  24>         ^  ^'er.  26. 


agal^  tie  Holy  GhoR.        165 

manlfeft  their  grievous  Partiality  and  Self-Con- 
demnation.     If  I  by  Beelzebub  cafi  out 
Devils^    by  Whom  do  your  Children  ( your  own 
Friends,    the  Exorcijls)  cafi   them  out "  ?     If 
They  caft  out  Devils  by  the  help  of  God,  cal- 
ling on  the  God  of  Abraham;  vv^hy  am  I, 
who  do  the  fame  Things,  and  greater,  in  the 
Name  of  the  fame  God,  charged  with  doing 
them  by  the  help  of  the  Devils    He  goes  on 
to  a  third  Conlideration  drawn  from  the  Na- 
ture of  his  Dodrine,  and  from  the  whole  Te- 
nour  of  his  Life  and  Condu(ft,  as  being  direct- 
ly oppoUte  to  the  Devil's  Interefts,  and  plain- 
ly Ihewing,    that  He  was  fo  far  from  being  a 
Confederate  with  Beelzebub,   that    He 
was  his  mofl  avowed  and  formidable  Enemy ; 
binding  that  ftrong  Prince  in  Chains,  rifling  his 
Houfe,  and  fpoiling  his  Goods.     Thefe  Things,, 
being  plain  and  undeniable,  what  unaccounta- 
ble Malice  mufl  it  be  in  the  Pharifees,  and  how 
grievous  their  Sin,    to  impute  the  Miracles 
wrought  by  a  Divine  Power ^  to  the  Prince  of 
the  Devils  ?    Our  BlefTed  Lord  therefore  clofes 
•  his  Reply  with  this  fmart  and  treniendous 
Rebuke :    Wherefore  I  fay  unto,  yoii^   that  all 
Manner  of  Sin  and  Blafphemy  Jhall  be  forgiven 
unto  Men  :  But  the  Blafphemy  agahifi  the  Holy 

L3  Ghof.^ 

a  Matt.  xii.   27, 


1 66     ^Vne  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

Ghcji^  flail  not  be  forgiven., neither  in  this 

Worlds  neither  in  the  World  to  come. 

The  Phrafes  and  Idio}?7s  of  Speech  (here 
made  life  of)  may  require  fome  Explanation, 
before  We  come  to  the  Matter  contained  in 
thcrn.  Ail  Manner  of  Sin  and  Blajphemy  jhall 
be  forgiven.  The  Words  are  not  to  be  taken 
ahfoluteh^  as  if  all  Kinds  of  Slanders  and  Ca- 
lumnies fliouldbe  forgiven  ;  (for  many,  with- 
out Que  (lion,  while  unrepented  of,  never  will 
be  forgiven)  but  they  are  to  be  underftood 
comparatively .,  as  amounting  to  This ;  that  all 
other  unrirJiteous  blamins;  or  cenfurino-,  ei- 
ther  of  Things  or  of  Perfons,  {ki2S\.  fooner  and 
more  eajily  be  forgiven,  than  the  blaming  and 
ilandering  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  that  is,  God 
Hhnfclf.  To  revile  Angels^  or  Men.,  is  tole- 
rable, and  pardonable  in  Comparifon  :  But  to 
ilrike  higher  Hill,  and  to  revile  even  GodHim- 
felfy  is  an  unpardonable  Impiety.  Whofoever 
fpeaketh  a  Word  againjl  the  Son  of  Man.,  (againft 
C  K  R  1ST  confidered  meerly  as  a  Man)  calling 
Him,  for  In  fiance,  a  Deceiver,  a  Glutton ,  a 
V/ine-bibher.,  and  the  like  j  T^hat,  tho'  a  grievous 
Sin  in  it  felf,  yet  being  flight  in  Comparifon, 
may  the  more  eafily  be  forgiven  :  But  whofo- 
ever fpeaketh  againjl  the  Holy  Ghost, 
it  fl: all  not  be  fo  eafily  forgiven^  neither  in  this 

JVorld, 


againjl  the  Holy  Ghoft.        167 

Worlds  nor  in  the  World  to  come.     In  difcourfine 
farther,  my  Defign  is, 

J.  To  examine  what  the  Shij  or  Bhjphemy 
againji  the  Holy  Ghoji  means,  and  wherein 
precijely  it  confifts  :  Where,  by  the  Way, 
I  fl^iall  take  Notice  alfo  of  fome  erroneous 
Accounts  of  it. 

II,  I  fhall  confider  the  heinous  Nature  and 
Aggravations  of  it,  together  with  the 
Penalty  attending  it,  or  confequent  upon 
it. 

III.  I  fhall  enquire  whether  any  Sins  com- 
mitted at  this  Day  are  thtfame  thing  with, 
it,  or  which  come  the  nearefi  to  it. 

I. 

I  am  to  examine  What  the  Sin,  or  Blafphe-r 
my  againji  the  Holy  Ghojl  means,  and  wherein 
precijely  it  conjijls. 

I  faid  Sin  or  Blafphemy  againil  the  Holy 
Ghojl,  becaufe  Some  call  it  the  Sin  agaijijl  the 
Holy  Ghoft,  tho'  Scripture  it  felf  never  calls  it 
any  Thing  elfe  but  Blafphemy  -,  which  is  worth 
the  obferving.  For  from  thence  We  may  be 
aflured,  that  This  Sin  (\yhatever  it  be)  ought 
to  be  reckon'd  among  the  Sins  of  Speech,  among 
La..  the 


1 6  8     T^De  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

the  Offences  of  the  'Tongue,  All  the  Sins  which 
Men  commit  are  reducible  to  three  Heads,  as 
being  either  in  Thought^  in  Word.,  or  in  Deed : 
Now,  the  Blafphemy  againft  the  Holy  Ghofi 
can  properly  be  referred  to  the  Second  only  of 
the  three  now  mentioned  j  it  lies  in  Words^  is 
committed  by  Speaking.,  and  particularly  by 
Evil-Jpeaking  j  by  reviling  and  defaming  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God.  In  the  Text,  it  is  called 
Jpeaking  againjl  the  Holy  Ghofi.  And  by  St, 
Mark,  it  appears  that  the  Sin  confifted  in 
■  fomething  which  the  Pharifies  [aid :  For  it 
is  there  remark'd  as  the  Sum  and  Subftance  of 
the  Guilt  They  were  chargeable  with,  that 
They  faid  of  Jesus,  that  He  hath  an  unclean 
Spirit^.  And  it  is  farther  obfervable,  that 
our  BleiTed  Lord,  in  the  Clofe  of  his  Difcourfe 
upon  that  Occalion,  pronounces  thus  :  Every 
idle  W^ord  that  Men  fiall  Jpeak,  They  fiall  give 
Accoimt  thereof  in  the  Day  of  judgment  t>.  Idle 
Words  here  mean  malicious,  or  impious  Expref- 
fions ;  alluding  ftill  to  the  main  Subjed  of  his 
Difcourfe,  the  fpiteful  and  opprobrious  Words 
which  the  Pharifees  had  impioufly  thrown  out 
againft  the  Spirit  of  God.  To  be  fliort  then, 
the  Sin,  or  Blafphemy  againfi  the  Holy  Ghofi,  was 
the  belying,  fiandering,  or  reviling  the  Divine 

Spirit 

»  Mark  iii.  30.  ^  Matth.  xii.  36, 


agamji  the  Holy  Ghoft.        169 

Spirit  by  which  our  Lord  wrought  his  Mira- 
cles, afcribing  them  to  the  Devil, 

There  may  be,  and  there  have  been  feveral 
Offences  committed  againji  the  Holy  Ghqfl,  which 
yet  do  not  amount  to  the  Blajphemy  againji 
Him  fpecified  in  the  Text.  There  is  fuch  a 
Thing  as  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit »,  and  quench- 
ing the  Spirit  b,  when  Men  refufe  to  hearken 
to  his  Counfels,  to  follow  his  Motions,  or  to 
obey  his  Calls  :  But  Hhis  is  not  blafpheming 
Him.  There  is  alfo  what  St.  Stephen  calls 
refijiing  the  Holy  Ghojl  c,  which  is  oppoling  Him 
with  an  high  Hand,  and  rebelling  againft  Him, 
and  is  a  very  heinous  Sin  ;  and  yet  neither  is 
I'hat  the  fame  with  blafpheming  and  flandering 
Him,  which  is  what  thofe  Pharisees  were 
guilty  of.  Ananias  andSAPPHiR  a  grievoully 
affronted  the  Holy  Ghoji  in  telling  Him  a 
Lie,  either  prefuming  upon  his  Ignorance  as 
not  knowing  it,  or  upon  his  Patience  as  if  He  , 
fhould  have  connived  at  it  :  But  yet,  Thai 
was  not  fo  bad  as  What  the  PhariJ'ees  did  in" 
afcribing  his  Works  to  the  Devil.  The  ?72aU''r 
cious  telling  a  Lie  o/'Him,  to  defame  znA  Jla?z- 
der  Him,  was  a  more  heinous  Offence  than  the 
teUing  a  Lie  to  Him,  under  a  v/eak  and  fool- 
illi  Perfuafion.     There  is  alfo  another  V/ay  of 

affroiiting 

»  Eph.  iv.  30.        ''  I  Theff.  v.  1 9.        «  Afls  vii.  5 1. 


1 70     The  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

a£ronting  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  vilifying  bis 
Operations-^  which  yet  cpmes  not  up  to  the  Sin 
of  the  Text.  Upon  the  Day  of  Pentecoft, 
when  the  Difciples,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghojiy 
began  to  Jpeak  ^ucith  other  Tojignes,  as  the  Spi- 
rit gave  them  Utterance,  there  v/ere  Some  land- 
ing by,  who  mocking  faid,  thefe  Me??,  are  full 
of  new  Wine  %  vilifying  the  Operations  of  the 
Spirit^  as  the  Effects  of  Dru?ikennefs  :  But  the 
Men  who  laid  it,  faid  it  Tpcrhd-ps  wanto?2ly  or 
ignoranth\  rather  than  fpitefidly  or  malicioiifly. ' 
They  might  not  know  that  the  Difciples  real- 
ly fpake  with  other  Tongues  j  but  being  un- 
acquainted Themfelves  with  the  Languages 
then  fpoken,  They  took  them  all  to  be  Jar- 
gon, fuch  as  Men  might  utter  under  fdme 
Diforder  of  Mind,  occafion'd  either  by  Wine, 
or  by  Frenzy  :  And  fo  They  accounted  (as 
They  thought)  for  the  Thing  in  a  natural 
Way,  not  fufpeifting  any  Thing  fupernatural 
in  it.  But  the  Pharifces  who  are  charged  with 
being  guil  ty  of /^/^/J)Zj^;;//;?g- the  Holy  Ghojl,  They 
very  well  knew  that  What  They  had  feen 
done,  could  not  be  accounted  for  in  a  natural 
Way  J  and  yet  fuch  was  their  Spleen  and  Rage 
againft  the  Gofpel,  that  tliey  chofe  rather  to 
impute  the  Miracles  of  our  Lord  to  the  Devi!, 

than 
'  Aas  ii.  I  \: 


againjl  the  Holy  Ghoft.        171 

than  to  acknowledge  the  Divine  Hand^  which 
was  fo  vifible  in  them,  that  They  Themfelves 
could  not  but  fee  it,  had  They  been  at  all 
difpofed  to  it. 

I  may  here  alfo  mention  Simon  Magus, 
as  a  Perfon  who  very  highly  affronted  the  Ho^ 
Ghoft ^  when  He  offered  Money  for  the  purcha- 
fing  his  Miraculous  Gifts.  But  neither  was 
That  any  fuch  diredt  Blafphemy  againfl;  the 
Holy  Ghojl,  as  What  the  Text  mentions :  For 
He  had  fome  ReJpeB  and  Veneratioji  for  the 
Miracles  He  faw  wrought,  and  for  the  Author 
of  them ;  and  was  very  far  from  imputing 
them  to  the  Affiftance  of  the  DeviL 

The  ^lajphemy  againfl  the  Holy  Ghojl  was 
fomething  worfe  flill  than  any  Thing  I  have 
yet  mention'd  :  It  was  defamiiig  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  and  God  Him/elf,  under  the 
execrable  Name  of  Beelzebub  ;  it  was  re- 
viling, and  That  knowingly  and  defperately,  the 
Divine  Works,  as  Diabolical  Operations.  In 
This,  as  I  conceive,  and  in  This  preci/ely,  con- 
iifled  that  Blafphemy  which  fhall  never  be  for- 
given, the  Sin  againfl  the  Holy  Ghofl. 

Neverthelefs  it  muft  be  own'd,  that  many 
wife  and  good  Men,  both  Ancient  and  Mo- 
dern, have  been  of  different  Sentiments  in 
this  Article. 

3  Some, 


172     T^he  Nature  of  the  Blalphemy 

Some,  with  St.  Austin,  maintaining  that 
all  Sins  2S^  pardonable  Midori  "Repentance^  have  re- 
folved  the  Blajphemy  of  the  Holy  Ghoji^  unpar^ 
donahle  Sin,  \nio  final Hardnefs  and  Impenitency : 
But  final  Impenitency  is  one  Thing,  and  Blafi- 
fhemy  is  another  :  And  fi?ial  Impenitency  is  an 
Error  in  a  Man's  wJoole  Co?idiiB  ;  whereas  the 
Bla/phemy  of  the  Text  is  one  particular  Crime ^ 
and  committed  by  reviling  Words,  as  obferved 
above.  So  th?it  final  Impeniteficy  is  not  the  Sin 
here  fi2;nined  :  and  for  the  fame  Reafons  We 
may  conclude,  that  a  total  and  final  Apofiajy, 
which  Some  take  to  be  the  Sin  againfi  the 
Holy  Gho/l,  is  very  different  from  it,  tho'  it 
is  certainly  unpardonable  as  much,  or  perhaps 
more  than  the  other. 

Some,  with  O  r  i  g  e  n  and  the  N  o  v  a- 
T  I  A  N  s  of  old,  have  imagined  that  Sins  com- 
mitted after  Baptifm^  are  Sins  againft  the  Holy 
Ghofi :  But  there  is  the  fame  Obje(flion,  be- 
fides  many  more,  againfi  this  Opinion,  as  a- 
gainft  the  two  Former,  and  it  has  very  long 
and  very  defervedly  been  exploded  by  all  fober 
Divines. 

Some  fay,  that  every  jnalicious  refifting^    or 
oppofmg  the  Gofp el-Truths,  when  Sufficiently 
propounded,  is  the  Sin  againfi  the  Holy  Ghofi  : 
But  Infidelity  is  one  Thing,  and  Blajphemy  ano- 
ther: 


againjl  the  Holy  Ghoft.        1^3 

ther  :  and  the  Sin  which  the  Text  cenfares, 
confifts  more  in  remling^  than  in  rejifiing^  as 
before  obferved :  So  that  neither  is  This  Ac- 
count at  all  fatisfacftory. 

There  is  one  more  remaining  flill,  which 
has  been  efteem'd  as  highly  plauiible,  and 
which  has  met  with  feveral  very  conliderable 
Abettors.  It  is,  that  the  holding  out  objiinafely 
againjl  the  lafi  Difpenfation,  the  Dijpenfation  of 
^Q  Spirit,  commencing  after  Christ's  Afcen" 

Jion,  was  the  Sin  againil  the  Holy  Ghost. 
They  who  maintain  this  Opinion,  are  obliged 
alfo  to  maintain,  that  the  Scribes  and  Fhari^ 

fees,  who  attributed  our  Lord's  Miracles  to  the 
Devil,  V7QVQ  not  then,  ^.ndtherein  guilty  oitho 
Sin  againjl  the  Holy  Ghojl,  They  plead,  that 
thofe  blajpheming  Pharijess  were  not  yet  ex- 
cepted out  of  the  general  Pardon  offered  to  as 
Many  as  would  repent  and  believe  5  but  that  our 
Lord  Himfelf /T^^'^y^r  their  Forgivenefs  upon 
the  Crofs,  which  fliews  that  They  were  yet 
capable  of  Pardon,  They  further  add,  that  the 
Holy  Ghojl  was  not  yet  given  'till  our  Lord  aj- 
cended,  and  therefore  could  not,  properly  fpeak- 
ing,  be  blajphe?ned  before  that  Time  :  and  that 
the  Blajpheming  and  reiifling  Him  then,  being 
holding  out  againft  the  very  greatef!:  Miracles, 
the  ftrongefc  Proofs,  and  the  laji  Kemedies, 
I  This 


1 74     Tide  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

This  of  Courfe  mufi:  be  the  fjioft/mfuHnd.  pro- 
voking Ohjiinacy  that  could  be,  and  on  that  Ac^ 
count  is  pronounced  unpardonable. 

Thefe  Reafons  are  Ipecious :  But  then  here 
is  no  Account  given  how  it  comes  to  pafs,  that 
neither  in  the  Acls  of  the  Apojiks^  nor  in  any 
of  the  Epijiles^  is  there  a  Word  faid  by  way 
of  Reproof,  or  of  Caution  again  ft  Blafphe- 
'rning  the  Holy  GhoJI ;  and  that  it  fhouid  never 
have  been  mentioned,  but  by  our  Lord  Him- 
felf  at  a  Time  when  no  body  was  capable  of 
committing  it :  And  yet,  by  all  the  Circum- 
ftances  of  our  Lord's  Difcourfe  at  that  Time, 
one  would  be  very  apt  to  conclude,  that  thofe 
blafpheming  Pbari/ees  were  then  verily  guilty 
of  the  Bhj'phcmy  againfi  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Nay 
it  feems  further,  that  St.  M  a  R  k's  Comment 
upon  the  Cafe,  may  be  alone  fufficient  to  de- 
cide the  Doubt.  For  after  reciting  our  Lord's 
dreadful  Sentence  againfi  Such  as  fliould  blaf- 
pheme  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft ^  He  immediately 
adds,  becaufe  They  faid^  He  bath  an  unclean  Spi- 
rit^. What  is  This  but  declaring  in  fo  many 
Words,  that  the  reviling  the  Holy  Spirit^  as 
an  unclean  Spirit,  was  the  Blajphemy  our  Lord 
fpakeof,  and  was  then  co/?wiitted  by  thok  blaf- 
pheming Pbari/ees  ^ 

As 

'   Mark  iii.    CO, 


agai?2fi  the  Holy  Ghoft.        175 

As  to  what  is  objecfted,  that  thofe  very  Pha- 
rifees  were  yet  capable  of  Pardon^  becaufe  our 
Lord  upon  the  Crofs  prayed  for  their  Forgive- 
7iefs  5  It  may  as  reafonably  be  faid,  on  the  o- 
ther  hand,  that  Thofe  alfo  who  rejefted  the 
laji  DiJpe?2jdtion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  were 
capable  of  Pardon ;  for  St.  S  t  e  p  h  e  n  prayed 
for  the  Forgpvenefs  of  Thofe  who  ftoned  Him, 
tho'  He  had  before  told  Them ,  that  They  had 
refijied  the  Holy  Ghofi  a.  This  Objed:ion  there- 
fore returns  upon  the  Objectors^  and  equally 
affeds  either  T^heir  Interpretation  of  the  Sin 
againfl:  the  Holy  Ghojiy  or  Ours.  Belides,  the 
Objedlion  goes  upon  the  Suppofltion  that  the 
Blafphemy  againfl  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  ahfoliitely  un- 
pardonable, which  indeed  the  Text  does  feem 
to  fay :  But  yet  good  Criticks  have  obferved, 
that  according  to  the  Hebrew  Idiom^  the  Words 
may,  or  rather  muft  bear  a  fofter  Conftruc- 
tion ;  importing  only,  that  of  all  Kinds  of 
Slander  and  Calumny,  Slandering  the  Holy 
Ghofi  is  moft  daring  and  iinpious  j  and  that  any 
other  Calumnies  w'^fooner  meet  with  Pardon 
than  T^hat  will.  But  fuppofing  the  Sin  to  be 
cibfohitely  unpardonable,  then  it  mull  be  faid, 
that  our  Lord's  praying  for  the  Forgivenefs  of 
his  Enemies  upon  the  Crofs,  is  to  be  under- 

flood 

*  Adsvii.  51. 


176     Ude  Nature  of  the  Blalphemy 

flood  only  of  his  praying  for  the  yews  in  gene^ 
ral,  and  not  of  his  praying  for  thofe  Perfons  in 
particular  Who  had  been  guilty  of  the  unpar- 
donable Sin. 

As  to  the  other  Objedion,  that  the  "Holy  Ghoji 
could  not  be  blafphemed  at  that  Time,  becaufe 
He  was  not  yet  given  j  it  is  of  very  httle  Weight. 
Our  Blefled  Lord  mofl  undoubtedly  had  the 
Holy  Spirit  always  refJing  in  Him  without  Li- 
mitation or  Meafure  ^  :  And  He  Himfelf  pro- 
feffes,  that  it  was  by  the  Spirit  of  God  that  He 
caft  out  Devils  b  ;  So  that  the  Blafpheming  that 
Divine  Power  by  which  He  wrought  his  Mi- 
racles, was  plainly  blafpheming  the  Holy  Spirit, 
It  is  true  that  the  Holy  Ghoji  was  not  yet  given 
in  full  Meafure  to  our  Lord's  Difciples,  but  to 
our  Lord  Himfelf  He  moll:  certainly  was ;  and 
therefore  the  Objection,  in  this  cafe,  is  flight, 
and  comes  not  up  to  the  Point. 

Upon  the  Whole  then,  I  conclude  as  be- 
fore, that  the  Blafphemy  agaifift  the  H  o  l  y 
Ghost  was  the  imputing  our  Lords  Miracles 
to  the  Devil y  and  that  I'hat  dreadful  Sin  was 
committed  by  Thof  very  Men  who  fo  reviled, 
flandered,  and  traduced  that  Divine  Power  by 
which  He  wrought  Them. 

II.  The 

-  Johr,  iii.  ^4,  *  Matt  xii.  28. 


againjl  the  Holy  Ghofto       x  77 

II. 

The  Heinoufnefs  of  that  Sin,  which  was  the 
Second  Particular  I  propofed  to  go  upon,  may 
be  competently  underftood  from  What  hath 
been  already  faid,  and  will  not  need  many 
Words  more. 

It  was  a  mofl  wicked  and  impudent  Lie  and 
Slander  upon  the  Holy  Spirit^  and  was  flying, 
as  it  were,  in  the  Face  of  God.     One  would 
think,  when  God  Himfelf  interpofes,  giving 
the  divine  Signal  in  plain  uncontefted  Mira- 
cles, that  it  might  become  All  Men  to  be  mute, 
and  to  lay  alide  their  otherwife  unconquerable 
Rancour  and  Prejudice :  But  the  Pharifees  were 
fo  refolute  and  fo  outragious  in  reviling  every 
Thing  that  gave  any  Countenance  to  Christ 
and  his  Gofpel,  that  They  would  not  fpare 
even  God  Himfelf,  but  call'd  Him  Beelze- 
bub,fpitefully  defaming  his  moH  divine  Works, 
as  being  Nothing  elfe  but  Diabolical  Impojiures, 
They  faw  the  Miracles  of  our  BleiTed  Lord, 
and  were  very  feniible  that  they  were  real  and 
true  Miracles :     They  knew  alfo    that  they 
were  wrought  in  direSi  Oppojition  to  the  Devil 
and  his  Kingdom,  having  all  the  fair  Appear- 
ances poffible  of  being  Z)mW;  Nor  would  They 
Vol.  IL  M  have 


■il 

178     7^^  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

have  fcrupled  to  have  received  them  as  divi?te, 
had  They  been  wrought  by  any  One  elfe,  ex- 
cepting Christ  or  his  Difciples :  But  fuch 
was  their  invenom'd  Hatred  and  Inveteracy  a- 
gainft  Him  and  His,  that,  at  all  Adventures, 
contrary  to  all  Candor  or  Equity,  and  in  Con- 
tradiction to  Reafon  and  common  Senfe,  They 
refolved  to  fay  however,  fcarce  to  belie've  (for 
They  hardly  could  be  fo  ilupid)  that  He  was 
in  League  with  the  Devil  j  and  that  all  his  mighty 
Works,  which  He  wrought  in  the  Name  of  Go^, 
were  the  Works  only  of   Beelzebub  the 

a/ 

Prince  of  the  Devils.  There  could  not  be  a 
more  infolent  Slander,  or  a  more  provoking 
Outrage  againft  the  Divine  Majejiy,  than  This 
was.  All  other  Calumnies,  againft  Men,  or 
againfl  Angels,  come  fliort  of  This ;  for  it  was 
calumniating  Go^  Hz>;z/f//,  the  tremendous  and 
moil  adorable  Deity;  and  was  done  very  ma- 
iicioiijly,  and  defignedly  to  hinder  and  obilrudl, 
as  much  as  poffible,  the  iirft  planting  of  the 
Gofpel,  to  the  univerfalHurt  and  Detriment  of 
Mankind  :  In  a  Word,it  was  facrificingthe  Ho- 
nour of  Almighty  God,  and  both  the  prefent 
and  future  Happinefs  of  Men,  to  their  own  pri- 
vate Humours  and  Party-PafTions  3  being  refol- 
yed  to  take  up  with  any  wretched  Cavil,any  im- 
probable 


againjl  the  Floly  Ghoft.        i  yg 

probable  and  felf-contradidory  Lies  and  Slan- 
ders againft  God,  rather  than  permit  the  honefl 
and  well-meaning  People  to  believe  in  Christ 
Jesus  upon  the  brighteil:  Evidence  of  his  Mi- 
racles. 

Such  was  the  heinous  Nature,  and  the  tran- 
fcendent  Guilt  of  blalpheming  againft  the  Holy 
Ghoji,  in  That  Inftance :  And  therefore  it  is, 
that  our  Bleffed  Lord  took  fo  particular  Care, 
firft,  to  confute  the  Calumny^  and  next,  to  pafs  a 
moft  righteous^  but  dreadful  Cenfure  upon  the  Sin 
contained  in  it.  The  divine  Vengeance  Should 
purfue  a  Crime  of  that  deep  Die,  both  in  this 
World,  and  in  the  World  to  come.  The  Of- 
fenders in  that  Kind,  being  unreclaimable 
and  incurable,  fliould,  by  the  juft  Judgment  of 
God,  be  feal'd  up  to  everlailing  Deflrudicn; 
like  Pharoah,  or  like  Judas,  like  Sodom, 
or  like  Gomorrka,  ripe  for  Perdition,  and 
fit  to  be  delivered  over  to  eternal  Ruin. 

Having  thus  largely  conlidered  What  the 
Blafphemy  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft  means,  and  how 
heinous  a  Si?T  it  was ,  it  remains  nov/  only, 

in. 

To  enquire  whether  any  Si?is  committed  at 

this  Day,  are  the  Jame  Thing  with  it  j  or  which 

Vol.  IL  M  2  of 


1 80     T^h  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

of  them  come  the  nearejl  to  it.  Of  This  very 
briefly,  having  no  Room  to  inlarge. 

I  *  Firfi^  for  the  Sake  of  the  over-tender  and 
fcrupulous  Confciences,  I  would  obferve,  that 
rovmg^2.vidi  v^hich  fome  call  blajphemous  Thoughts^ 
which  rife  up  accidentally^  and  as  accidentally 
go  off  again,  are  Nothing  a-kin  to  the  Sin 
which  I  have  been  fpeaking  of  j  which  con- 
fifted  in  premeditated  Lies  and  Slanders  againft 
God,  form'd  with  Defign  to  obftruft  or  darken 
the  Evidences  of  the  true  Religion,  and  to  pre- 
vent Others  from  looking  into  them,  or  being 
convinced  by  them.  None  hvxi  profejs  d  Atheijis, 
or  Injideh,  can  be  guilty  of  fuch  Spite  and  Ma- 
lice againft  the  GojpeUSalvation,  No  One,  while 
He  believes  the  Chrijiian  Religion,  ^n&jerioiijly 
profeffes  Himfelf  a  Member  ofCu  r  i  s  t  ' j  Church , 
can  be  guilty  of  the  Blajphe7?iy  againpi  the  Holy 
Ghojl. 

2.  I  obferve,  Secondly,  that  even  the  Atheijis 
or  Ififidels  of  thefe  Times,  can  fearce  come  up 
to  the  fame  Degree  of  Guilt  with  the  Phari/ees 
of  old }  becaufe  They  have  not  feen  the  Miracles 
of  Christ  with  their  own  Eyes.  It  is  fome 
Mitigation  of  their  Sin,  and  it  makes  their  In- 
fidelity the  more  excufable,  that  They  have 
not  altogether  iojlrong  and  glaring  Evidences 

of 


agamjl  the  Holy  Ghoft.       1 8 1 

of  the  Truth  of  Chrlftianity,  as  Thofe  had 
Who  hved  in  th^Jlrft  Ages,  and  faw  the  tvoii^ 
derfid  Works  of  God.  Rational  and  Hijiorical 
Evidence  may  be  as  convincing  as  the  other, 
when  didy  confidered :  But,  as  it  ftrikes  not  upon 
the  Senfes,  it  does  not  awaken  the  Attention, 
and  alarm  every  Paffion  of  the  Soul,  in  fuch 
a  Degree  as  the  other  does.  For  which  Rea- 
fon,  the  Unbelievers  of  our  Times,  tho'aban- 
don'd  and  profligate  Men,  are  not  altogether 
fo  blameable  in  the  Oppofition  They  make  to 
Chriftianity,  as  the  Unbelievers  of  old  Time 
were.  They  may  indeed,  at  this  Day,  attri- 
kite  the  Miracles  of  Christ  and  his  Apojiles 
(Which  They  read  of  in  credible  Hiftory)  to 
the  Devil,  as  the  Pharifees  of  old  did  -,  and 
This  will  be  blafpheming  the  Holy  Ghojl :  But  it 
will  not  be  exaSily  the  fame  Sin  -,  not  the  fame 
in  Degree  (tho'  in  Kind  the  fame)  becaufe  Cir-f 
cumftances  are  different  -,  and  upon  the  Circuni- 
Jiances  depend  the  heightening  Aggravations. 

Neverthelefs,  It  mufl:  be  faid,  that  the  ob- 
Jlinate  rejeBing  the  Miracles  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Difciples  (which  have  been  (of idly  attefied) 
and  much  more  the  ridiculing  and  bantering 
them,  and  the  endeavouring  to  run  them  down 
by  Lies  and  Slander  (as  the  Way  of  Some  is) 
M  3  This 


1 8  2     The  Nature  of  the  Blafphemy 

This  is  a  i^ej-y  high  and  heinous  Crime ^  as  well  as 
horrid  Bhfphemy  >  efpecially  if  committed  in  a 
Chriflian  Country,  and  in  a  knowing  Age,  and 
where  Men  have  all  defirable  Opportunities  of 
learning  the  Truth,  as  well  as  the  ftrongeft 
Motives  ofiered  for  fubmitting  to  it.  Scoffers 
of  this  Kind  come  very  little  fliort  of  the  Pha~ 
rifees  of  ancient  Time,  either  in  Spleen  and  Ma- 
lice, or  in  Perverfenefs  and  Hardnefs  of  Heart, 
or  in  an  impious  and  defperate  Defiance  to  God 
and  Christ,  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Both. 
From  fach  Blafphemers  turn  away,  and  have 
Nothing;;  to  do  with  the  Tents  of  thefe  wicked 
Men,  lefb  ye  be  confumed  in  their  Iniquities. 
Look  upon  Them  as  Veilels  of  divine  Wrath, 
Sons  of  Perdition,  prepared  for  Vengeance, 
which  will  either  fuddenly  overtake  Them  in 
this  World,  or  Vv^ill  fall  the  heavier  upon  Them 
in  a  Vv'orld  to  come.  The  Chriflian  Religion 
lias  been  fo  abundantly  proved  and  fettled  by 
great  Variety  of  Evidences^  beyond  reafonahk 
Exception^  that  all  Gain-fayers  are  now  left 
%nthout  Excufe.  It  has  had  the  concurrent  Tejii- 
mony  of  Christ  and  his  Apoflles^  and  Both 
eflabliffi'd  by  many  and  great  Miracles^  un- 
parallei'd,  and  iincontroWd :  And  were  there 
Nothing  elfe,  its  pre"jaili?2g  and  triumphing  fo 

muchj 


agatnjl  the  Holy  Ghoft.        183 

much,  fo  early,  and  fo  long,  over  Jezvifi  Su- 
perjiition  and  Pagan  Idolatry^  is  it  felf  a  Mira- 
cle  as  great  as  any,  and  manifellly  fliews  that 
the'  Finger  of  God  was  in  it,  and  that  an  Al- 
mighty Power  went  along  with  it.  What  re.- 
mains  then,  but  that  We  learn  from  all,  to  fet 
2.jiift  Prize  and  Value  upon  This  our  moft  ho- 
ly Profeffion  j  evermore  defending  and  main- 
taining it  againft  .all  Oppofers,  and  adorn- 
ing the  fame,  as  it  becomes  Us  to  do,  with 
fuitable  Lives  and  Converfations. 


.M4  SERMON 


1 


SERMON    X. 

The  Cafe  of  Deceivers^  and  Deceived^ 
Confidered. 


Ephes.  iv.  14. 

V^at  We  henceforth  he  no  more  Children^ 
tojfedto  andfro^  and  carried  about  with 
every  Wind  of  DoEirine^  by  the  Slight  of 
Men^  and  cunning  Craftinefsj  whereby 
"They  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 

ERE  are  tiioo  Sorts  of  Perfons 
mark'd  out  by  tht'ApoJik  in  the 
Text,  the  Deceivers  and  the  De- 
ceived-j  the  Onc^fubtle  and  craf- 
ty^ and  full  of  intrigue  ;  the  O- 
ther,  eafy  and  credulous^  and  unfufpeBing ;  the 
One,  fuppofedto  have  all  the  Wilinejs  of  the  Ser- 
pent, without  the  Innocency  of  the  Dove ;  the 
Other,  all  the  Tamenefs  a^d  Simplicity  of  the 

Dovc^ 


J  86        The  Cafe  of  X^tztwtx^^ 

Dove  J  v/ithout  the  Serpent's  Wifdom.  Both  are 
blameable,  tho'  in  different  Refpecis,  and  not  in 
tho.  fame  Degree ',  One,  ior  abujing  2Si^  7mfem-- 
ploying  their  'Talents^  and  the  Other,  for  not  em- 
ploying them  at  all  to  difcern  between  true  and 
falfe,  between  Good  and  Evil.  Both  are  ac- 
countable toGod  as  Dehnqucnts  I  One,  for  high 
Contempt^  and  the  Otlier,  for  great  Supinentj's 
and  Negledf.  The  World  has  never  been  with- 
out both  thefe  Kinds  of  Men,  fince  Men  have 
multiplied  upon  the  Earth,  and  Sin  and  Folly 
have  taken  Place  among  Them.  The  Church 
of  Christ,  from  the  Beginning ^nd  ,doW:a- 
wards^  has  fuffered  much  by  Both*  Merefies: 
and  5'<:'i'//;;Hhavedi/lurbed  its  Peace  and  broken 
its  Union ;  while  crafty  ^nA  i?2trigniny  M.t'n  have 
begnn  the  Quarrel,  aird.'K'^^-^  credidom  Men  have 
run  blindly  into  it.  It  was  the  Defign  of  our 
BleiTed  Lord  ^^when  He  firfl  founded  his  Churchy 
to  prevent,  as  much  as  poffible,  all  Confufion 
and  Difcord,  and  to  provide  for  its  then  pre- 
fent,  and  future  Peace. 

With  this  View,  as  the  Apoffle  here  in  this 
Chapter  obferves.  He  inflitutcd  -^  Miitifry,  and 
appointed  proper  Offiiiers  to  inftrudt  his  People^ 
^nd  to  lead  Them  in  the  Way  everlafling.  He 
gave  Some^  Apoflks ;  and  Some^  Prophets  ;  and 
^Qme^  Evangeli/ls-^  a??d  SomCy  Paftors  and  Teach- 


fliW  Deceived,  conjtdered.       187 

trs ;  for  the  perfe6lmg  of  the  Sm?2fs,  for  the 
Work  of  the  Minifry,  for  the  edfying  of  the 
Body  of  Chr  1ST  ;  ////  We  All  come  in  the  Unity 
of  Faithy  and  of  the  Knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God,  unto  a  perfeB  Man^  Sec  ^,  Such  was 
the  Provifion  made  at  the^/j/?  planting  of  the 
Church,  to  preferve  its  Unity,  to  bind  and  ce- 
ment it  together  by  the  Miniftry  and  good 
Offices  of  Apofilesy  Prophets,  Broangelijh,  Paf- 
tors,  and  Teachers,  The  iirfl:  three  Offices 
lailed  for  a  Time  only,  and  ceafed  by  Degrees, 
as  there  was  lefs  and  lefs  Occafion  for  Them ; 
but  Faftors  and  Teachers,  as  They  will  be  al- 
ways needful,  fo  will  They  be  continued  always 
in  conflant  Succeffion  till  the  End  of  the 
World.  As  there  is  no  New  Church  to  form, 
after  the  Foundation  laid  by  C  h  r  i  s  t  and  his 
Apofles  J  nor  any  New  DoSfrines  to  be  publiJUd 
beyond  what  They  have  taught  3  fo  there  is 
no  Need  of  Officers  extraordinary ,  fuch  as  were 
Apofles,  Prophets,  and  Fvangelifts,  after  a  Church 
has  been  once  raifed^  and  a  Rule  fix'd  and 
fettled  for  all  Times  to  come  :  It  is  fufficient 
then  to  have  a  fanding  Minifiry,  in  Succeffion, 
to  preach  and  publifli  that  Fide,  and  fo  to 
keep  up  in  all  After-ages  What  was  once  de-. 
livered  to  the  Saints. 

s  Eph.  iv.  1I3  \z,  i3-» 


1 88        The  Cafe  of  Deceivers, 

.  But,  as  neither  the  Apoftles  Themfelves,  nor 
"Prophets^  nor  our  Lord's  own  Prefence  with 
Mankind,  was  then  fufRcient  to  hinder  evil- 
minded  Alen  from  Jbwi?tg  Divijions^  or  imfiable 
Men  from  running  in  with  them ;  fo  neither  is 
it  to  be  expelled  that  the  ordinary  Minijiers^ 
in  after  Ages,  can  with  all  their  Endeavours 
prevent  the  like  Irregularities,  fuppoiing  Them 
ever  fo  fincere  and  intent  upon  it. 

But  it  is  further  to  be  confider'd,  that  They 
Themfelves  are  but  v/eak  and  frail  Men,  and 
They  have  no  fuch  infallible  Ajjifiances^  or  T>i- 
vine  Infpirations ,  as  the  Apojlles  had,  nor  are 
They  Proof  againft  fuch  Temptations  as  are 
common  to  Men ;  fo  that  it  is  not  impoffible 
even  for  Them  to  fall  from  their  own  Sted- 
faflnefs,  and  to  defert  their  Rule  j  and  fo  in 
EtFecfl,  to  become  Deceivers  and  Seducers,  in- 
ftead  of  being  proper  InJlriiBors  of  the  Church 
of  Christ.  And  whenever  fuch  Cafes  as 
thefe  happen,  it  is  a  dangerous  Snare  to  commen 
Cbrijlians,  Who  will  be  mofl  at  a  Lofs  what 
Courfe  to  fteer,  when  the  very  Guides  Them- 
felves differ,  and  draw  contrary  Ways.  This 
however  is  a  Cafe  which  may  be  fuppofed, 
and  which  has  often  appeared  in  FatSt.  Divine 
WiHiom  has  not  thought  proper  to  provide  any 
infallible  Remedy  againfl  it,  but  leaves  it  for 

a  Ti'ial 


and  Deceived,  conjldet^ed,      1 89 

a  Trial  of  Mens  Ingenuity  and  Sincerity  in 
fuch  Ihftances  5  that  it  may  be  feen  what  Care 
and  Pains  honeft  Men  will  take  to  inform 
Themfelves  right  in  any  doubtful  Circumstan- 
ces, and  that  They  who  are  approved  may  be 

made  manifeft. In  difcouriing  farther,  my 

Defign  is, 

I.  To  confider  the  Cafe  of  Decehers^  or 
Seducers,  Who,  in  their  Jlight  and  cun- 
7iing  CraftinefSj  lie  i?i  wait  to  deceive. 

II.  To  conlider  the  Cafe  of  the  Deceived^ 
Who  in  their  great  Simplicity^  or  Credu- 
lity, are  apt  to  be  toffed  to  and  fro  'mitk 
every  Wind  of  DoBri?ie. 

III.  I  fhall  fuggeft  fome  Advices  proper  to 
prevent  our  falling  in  with  Either  -,  con- 
cluding with  fome  hntf  Application  of  the 
whole,  fuitable  to  ovsprefent  Circumftances, 

L 

Firft,  I  propofe  to  confider  the  Cafe  of  De- 
ceivers, or  Seducers,  Such  as,  by  their  flight, 
and  cunning  Craftinefs,  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 

And  here  it  will  be  proper  to  enquire,  upon 
what  Motives,  or  with  what  Views,  Men  are 
led   thus  to  beguile,  and  mif-guide  Others, 

The 


The  particular  Motives  in  fuch  Cafes  may  be 
many ;  but  they  are  all  reducible  to  thefe  three 
Heads,  Pride,  Ava?Hce,  Voluptuoufnefs ;  that  is 
to  fay,  Love  of  Honour^  or  Frofit,  or  Pleafiire. 
I.  To  begin  with  th^firji.  There  is  often- 
times a  great  Deal  of  Pride  and  Vanity  in 
flarting  odd  Notions,  and  broaching  7iew  Doc- 
trines.  It  is  pretending  to  be  wifer  than  the 
Reft  of  the  World,  and  is  thought  to  be  ar^ 
Ar9;ument  of  uncommon  Sagacity.  Upon  this 
Foot,  Some  are  perpetually  in  Queft  of  ?iew 
Difcoveries,  Nothing  pleafes  Them,  if  They 
have  not  the  Honour  of  inventing  it,  or  of 
reviving  it  in  Their  Times.  It  is  Objedlion 
enough  again il:  common  Truths,  that  they  are 
common,  and  in  Every  Body's  Hands.  There 
is  no  Glory  to  be  gain'd  by  traverfing  this  beat- 
en Road;  it  is  but  low  and  dull  Employment : 
But  if  they  can  open  a  ?icw  Way,  and  ftrike 
out  a  nciv  Track  which  No  Man  has  difcovered ; 
there  is  the  Triumph,  and  the  Exultation. 
When  once  a  Man  has  thus  far  given  a  loofe 
to  his  Vanity,  and  thinks  Himfelf  fignificant 
enough  to  be  Head  of  a  SeB  -,  then  He  begins, 
hrfl,  to  lijhifper  cut  his  choice  Difcoveries  to  a 
few  Admirers  and  Confidents,  Who  will  be  fure 
to  fatter  Him  in  it  5  and  next,  to  tell  aloud  to 
all   tl-ie  World,  how  great  a  Secret  He  had 

found 


/?;a3^ Deceived,  conjldered,      igi 

found  out ^  with  the  inefiimahk  Value  of  it.  And 
now  at  length  comes  in  the  Ufe  oi  flight  and 
cunning  Craftinefs,  and  all  imaginable  Artifices  j 
firfl,  to  find  out  proper  Agents  to  commeiid  and 
fry  z^^  the  Conceit ;  next,  to Jpread it  in  the  moft 
artful  Manner  among  the  flmple  and  /^^  y^ 
peSiing  ;  and  after  that,  to  form  Interefls,  and 
make  Parties  j  and  fo,  if  polTible,  to  have  a 
publick  San5iio7i  fet  to  it,  or  a  Majority  at  leaft 
contending  for  it.  This  frequently  is  the  End 
and  Aim  of  Novellijls  and  Seducers,  They  are 
fir  ft  J  fond  of  their  own  Conceit  s^  which  is  their 
Fride  and  Vanity  ,  and  next,  impatient  to  make 
Profelytes,  and  to  draw  the  World  after  Them, 
becaufe  every  Convert  gaind  is  a  Complime?2t  tQ 
their  Judgment,  and  the  greater  the  Nw fibers 
are,  the  greater  their  Glory,  Love  of  Fame 
and  Glory  is  a  very  ftrong  Paffion,  and  ope» 
rates  marvelloufly  in  Perfons  of  a  warm  Com- 
plexion. Even  St.  John  the  Apoflle,  with  all 
his  Gifts  and  heavenly  Endowments,  was 
flighted  by  Diotrephes,  who  fet  upagainft: 
Him.  I  wrote  unto  the  Church,  favs  that  Di- 
vine  Man,  but  Diotrephes,  TVho  loveth  to 
have  the  Pree?nine?ice  among  Them,  receiveth  Us 
not^.  Diotrephes  was  a  Chriflian,  and 
probably  a  Chriflian  Priefl  too,  and  thought 

Himfelf 

^  3  John  i.  9. 


192        "The  Cafe  ^ Deceivers^ 

Himfelf  confiderable  enough  to  form  a  Sedi^ 
and  to  head  a  Paj'ty  in  the  Churchy  even  againft 
St.  Jo  H  N.  He  loved  to  have  the  Freeminence  : 
Ambition,  it  feems,  was  his  Motive  :  And  as 
He  wanted  not  Jlighty  or  cimning  Craftinefs, 
whereby  He  could  impofe  upon  the  Weak  and 
Ignorant,  and  mif-lead  Them  with  every  Wind 
of  Doctrine  3  He  was  able,  in  a  good  Meafure^ 
to  maintain  his  Ground,  and  to  keep  Himfelf 
in  Countenance,  tho'  in  diredl  Oppofition  to 
the  greateft  Man  in  the  Churchy  the  only  then 
fiirviving  A'poflk,  Having  feen  how  Pride  and 
Ambition  prompt  and  incite  Many  to  become 
Deceivers,  or  falfe  Teachers, 

2.  Next  let  Us  obferve  how  Avarice,  or 
Love  of  Profit,  may  fometimes  do  the  fame 
Thing.  There  is  a  Gain  to  be  made,  in  fome 
]un<5tures,  by  perverting  the  'Truth,  and  decei- 
vi?jg  the  Populace.  IVIen  who  are  not  worthy 
to  teach  in  the  Chu7xh,  or  who  have  been  fet 
aiide  for  their  Infiifficiency  or  Immorality,  may 
bring  up  ne%v  DoBrines,  and  draw  Difciples 
after  Them,  for  the  Sake  of  ProteBion  and 
Maintenance,  ox  iov  filthy  Lucre.  With  Such, 
the  vending  of  falfe  DoBrine  is  a  Trade,  and 
Preaching  a  Merchandize.  They  muft  of 
Gourfe  contrive  to  teach  what  will  be  mofl  for 
their  Intenf,  not  fo  much  confidering  what  is 

I  true 


<7W  Deceived 3  conjtdercd,     193 

.;rue  and  rights  as  what  is  moft  palatable  and 
pleajing^  and  will  bring  Them  in  ?;2^  Profit. 
Men  of  this  Stamp  are  the  meaneji  and  i;//i:y? 
of  Men  :  Yet  Such  there  were  even  in  the  A- 
pofloUcal  Times :  For  St. Paul  thus  complains, 
in  his  Epiftle  to  Titus  ;  T'loet^e  are  Many  un- 
ruly and  vain  'Talkers  and  Deceivers,  efpecially 
They  of  the  Circumcijion  j  whofe  Mouths  muji  hi 
Jiopped,  Who  pervert  whole  Houfes,  teaching  Things 
which  They  ought  not,  for  filthy  Lucre's  Sake  a. 
They  invented  and  propagated  palatable  Doc- 
trines, pleafing  Errors,  fuch  as  took  with  the 
Vicious,  and  brought  in  Gain  to  the  Teachers, 
Thofe  falfe  Teachers  were  fewijh  Chrifians, 
and  taught,  among  other  Things,  that  IJrai- 
lites.  All  in  general,  were  ficure  of  their  Por- 
tion in  the  Life  to  come ;  a  Doctrine  as  pleafing 
to  Many,  as  it  was  pernicious  to  Their  Souls. 
Another  DodrinewhichThey  taught,  as  falfe  as 
the  other,  was  the  Necejfity  of  Circumcifion  to 
Gentiles  5  and  This  They  did,  only  to  humour 
2iViA  flatter  the  Jews,  for  Their  own  Inter  eft,  lefl 
They  fldould  fuffer  Perfecution  of  the  fews,  for 
the  Crofs  of  Christ  ^.  Of  like  Sort  were  the 
TSlicolaitans ,  or  Balaamites,  Whoin  St.  Peter, 
St.  JuDE,  and  St.  John  fpeak  of,  as  running 
greedily  after  the  Error  of  Balaam  for  Re- 
Vol.  II.  N  ward^ 

a  Tit.  i.  10,  u.  _^Galat.vi,  I2j 


194        ^^  C^fi  9f  Deceivers, 

ward^.  They  taught  feveral  Dod:rines,  falfe 
and  fcandahus^  but  agreeable  enough  to  Flejh 
and  Blood;  and  fuch  as,  upon  that  Account, 
brought  Them  in  both  Honour  and  Frofit^  a- 
mong  the  Libertines  of  the  Age,  among  the 
Diffolute  and  Profane.  Thus  has  Avarice  been 
the  Mother  of  Herefies^  and  has  brought  in 
many  Deceivers  into  the  Church  of  C  h  r  i  s  t  : 
But  They  have  contrived  generally  to  give 
fome  plaujible  Turn  and  Colour  to  Their  Inven- 
tions^ through  Their  Sleight ^  ajid cminingCrafti- 
7iefs,  in  Order  to  deceive  the  Hearts  of  the  Sim- 
pky  and  to  beguile  unwary  and  unjlable  Souls, 

3.  One  Motive  more  I  mention'd,  namely, 
Voluptuoujhefs,  or  Love  of  Pleafure,  As  religi- 
cus  Rejlrai7its  fet  not  eafy  upon  Flefi  and  Blood, 
but  bear  hard  upon  corrupt  Nature ;  fo  Men  of 
corrupt  Minds  vv^ill  be  ever  labouring  to  ijivent, 
and  publijh  fmooth  2^x16.  fofteni/ig  Doctrines,  fuch 
as  may  either  qualify  the  StriBnefs  of  the 
Gofpel-Ruky  or  fap  the  Belief  of  a  future  Rec- 
koning. Many  ancient  Heretic ks  had  fuch 
Views  as  thefe  in  the  frji  broaching  of  Their 
Herefies  :  But  I  fliall  look  no  lower  than  the 
Scripture  Accounts  j  that  it  may  appear  from 
thence,  that  neither  any  Refpeft  even  to  liv- 
ing Apojiks^  nor  any  Regard  to  the  Atteftati- 

on? 

'  Judc  if.    2  Pet.  ii,  15.    Revel,  ii.  14, 


ij;;^^  Deceived,  confidered,      iqiJ 

ons  of  the  brighteft  Miracles^  can  fufficiently 
d^ter  Thofe  who  are  difpofed  to  fet  up  for 
Heads  of  a  SeB,  and  to  difperfe  and  propagate 
their  own  crude  Conceptions,  Hymeneus,  and 
I^HiLETUs,  and  Alexander  the  Copper- 
Smith,  were  Men  of  this  perverfe  Stamp,  and 
gave  great  Diflurbance  to  the  Holy  Apofile 
St.  Paul'\  They  pretended  that  the  Rejiir- 
reBion  was  already  paji,  overthroiving  the  Faith 
of  Some  ^.  They  explain  d  away  the  Scripture- 
Docirine  of  a  real  KefiirreBion  to  quite  another 
Senfe,  and  gave  out  Their  ownfalfe  GhJJ'es  for 
Scripture  Truths y  as  is  the  Manner  of  Deceiv- 
ers. Their  Defgn  was,  to  take  off  the  Awe 
and  Thread  of  a  future  fudgment,  and  thereby 
to  open  a  Door  to  all  Licentioufnefs  of  Life, 
and  Diffolutenefs  of  Manners.  St.  Paul 
therefore  reprimanded  Them  fharply,  as  be-^ 
came  his  high  Office  j  and,  by  his  Apoftolical 
Authority,  He  delivered  The?n  over  unto  Satan , 
that  They  might  take  Warning  for  the  future, 
and  learn  not  to  blajpheme  c.  Thefe  Inilances 
are  fufficient  to  fliew  how  Deceivers  arife,  and 
with  what  Views  They  endeavour  to  7nake  Co?2- 
verts  to  their  refpedlive  Perfualions,  all  cen- 
tring in  the  Love  of  Honour,  or  Riches,  or 
Pleafjire ;  or  more  briefly,  in  the  Love  of  the 
Vol.  II.  N2  World: 

^  I  Tim.  i.  20.  2  Tim.ii.  17.         ^  z  Tim.  ii.  1 8. 
— iv.  14.  c  I  Tim.  i.  20. 


196       I'he  Cafe  of  Deceivers, 

World :  For,  when  Men  defert  either  the  triie^ 
Faith,  or  foimd  Morals,  Wq  may  fay  of  Them, 
as  St.  Paul  faid  of  Demas  ;  —  Demas  hath 
forfaken  Me,  having  loved  this  prefent  World ». 
But  having  done  with  the  Deceivers,  I  come 
now  fecondly, 

II. 

To  confider  the  Cafe  of  the  Deceived,  Who 
fufFer  Themfelves  to  be  tojj'ed  to  and  fro  with 
every  Wind  of  DoBrine, 

They  are  fuppofed  to  be  ignoranfly,  and  in 
a  Manner  blindly,  led  on  by  Others ;  Other  wife. 
They  would  be  rather  Confederates  and  Confi- 
dents in  managing  the  Deceit,  and  fo  would  be 
more  Deceivers  than  Deceived.  Now,  as  to 
Thofe  who  are  fo  ignorantly  impofed  upon. 
They  are  more  or  lefs  to  blame,  according  as 
Their  Ignorance  is  more  or  lefs  blameable  :  And 
That  again  will  be  tnore  or  lefs  blameable,  ac- 
cording as  it  is  more  or  lefs  offeBed,  or  wilfid. 

There  are,  I  think,  three  Cafes  which  will 
take  in  All  Sorts  of  Men  who  fufFer  Them- 
felves to  be  deceived  in  Things  of  this  Kind. 

The  frfl  is,  of  Thofe  who  have  no  Opportu- 
nity,  no  moral  Pqffibility  of  informing  Themfelves 
better.  The  fecond  is,  Of  Thofe  who  7night 
inform  Themfelves  better,  but  do  not.     The 

third^ 
%  zTim.Iy,  10, 


^;/^  Deceived,  conjidered.      197 

thirds  Of  Thofe  who  might  alfo  be  better  in- 
formed, but  will 720t.    Of  which  in  their  Order. 

1.  As  to  the  Jirji  Sort,  lince  They  are  fup- 
pofed  to  lie  under  invincible  Ignorance  and  In- 
capacity, Their  Cafe  is  pitiable.  Perhaps  it 
may  be  the  Cafe  of  a  poor  Servant  under  an 
overhearing  Majler,  Whom  He  is  taught  to 
reverence  in  all  Things,  and  to  take  his  Word 
for  a  Law.  Or  it  may  be  the  Cafe  of  a  raw 
and  ignorant  Touth  while  under  a  bad  Father  : 
Or  of  any  plain  labourijig  Man  in  the  Way  of 
low  Life,  Who  can  neither  read  nor  examine 
for  Himfelf,  but  muft  take  every  Thing  upon 
Truji  from  the  Hand  of  fuch  fuperior  Per/on^ 
or  Perfons  as  He  chances  to  be  lifted  under. 
Thel^,  and  the  like  Cafes,  I  refer  to  Jimpk, 
i!t?2affe5led  Ignorance  :  And  fo  far  as  Their  Igno- 
rance,  or  Infirmity  is  really  unconquerable  ;  fo 
far  are  They  blamelefs,  or  not  accountable.  If 
They  be  like  Children  tojfed  to  and  fro  with  every 
Wind  of  DoStrine ;  yet,  if  They  are  really  Chil- 
dren in  JJnderfanding,  and  are  overborfj  by  Others 
in  fuch  a  Way  as  is  morally  irrefftible,  confi- 
dering  Their  Circumftances  ;  then  it  feems  to  be 
ThoAr  Misfortune  to  be  fo  impofed  upon,  rather 
than  Their  Faidt,  and  fo  is  not  imputable, 

2,  A  fecoitd  Cafe  is,   of  Thofe  who  may 
inform   Themfelves  better,    but    negJeSi    to 

N  3  do 


198       The  Cafe  of  Deceivers, 

do  it.     I  fiippofe  it  to  be  merely  NegleB  ill 
Them,  not  Dejign.     Perhaps  They  have  httle 
or  no  Leijure  for  Enquiries :  They  are  taken 
up  with  v/orldly  Cares  and  Bufinefs :  They 
have  a  very  great  Efteem  and  Vakie  for  the 
Man  who  fo  mijleads  Them,  and  They  know 
no  better,  but  fvvallow  every  Thing  He  fays, 
without  confidering  j    or  They  are  not  aware 
of  any  ///  Confequences  of  the  Dodtiine,  fee  or 
fufped:  no  Harm  in  it.     This,  I  think,  is  a 
true  Defcription  of  the  JJnthmking  and  Carelefs, 
who  take  up  their  Opinions  by  Chance^  and  671^ 
quire  no  farther.     They  are  much  to  blame  in 
this  Affkir  j  becaufe  God  has  given  Them  the 
Faculty  of  Reafony  which  ought  not  to  be  thus 
left  to  he  dorriia72t  and  ujelefs.     Men  who  can 
be  fliarp  enough  in  Jeciilar  Affairs  to  prevent 
being  impofed  upon,  may  and  ought  to  have 
feme  Guard  upon  Thcinrelves  with  refped:  alfo 
to  thciv  fpiritiial  Concernments.  It  is  not  enough 
to  fay.  They  have  Something  elfe  to  mind^  or  that 
They  do  not  think  of  it :  Such  Negligence  betrays 
a  Culpable  Carelefnefs  as  to  the  one  Taking  ?2eedful^ 
and  a  great  Contempt  of  God  and  Religion.     We 
ought  to  think  it  as  much  our  Concern  \w  fpiri' 
tual  Things,  not  to  have  Errors,  ^ndfalfe  Doc- 
trines put  upon  Usy  as  We  do  in  Things  temporal, 
not  to  be  impofed  upon  by  falfe  Weights  inftead 

of 


mdDccQivcdy  conjidered,      igg 

of  true^  or  falfe  Money  inflead  of  Sterling.  So 
much  for  Thofe  Who  are  merely  carelefi  in  a 
Matter  of  this  high  Concernment. 

3.  There  is  yet  a  third  Sort  of  Men,  worfe 
than  the  former,  who  fufFer  Themfelves  to  be 
deceived,  and  might  know  better,  but  will  not : 
That  is  to  fay.  Their  Ignorance  is  affeBcd  and 
wilful :  They  love  Darknefs  rather  than  Light, 
becaufe  their  Deeds  are  evil.  Thefe  are  Such  as 
readily  run  in  with  every  Wind  of  DoBrine 
which  hits  their  Tajie,  and  chimes  in  with 
their  favourite  Inclinations.  They  admit  the 
Dodtrine,  becaufe  They  like  it ;  and  They  ea- 
lily  believe  if  true,  becaufe  They  would  have 
it  fo.  It  is  with  this  Kind  of  Men  that  De- 
ceivers prevail  moft,  and  make  Their  Harvefi. 
Falfe  Teachers  commonly  obferve  and  ftudy 
the  feveral  Weaknefjes  and  corrupt  Difpoftions 
of  Thofe  whom  They  apply  to ;  and  fo,  by 
flattering  Their  Faffons,  and  humouring  Their 
Follies,  They  lead  Them  about  where  They 
pleafe,  and  make  a  Property  of  Them.  The 
Perfons  fo  deceived,  firft  deceive  Themfelves,  be» 
ing  led  away  and  enticed  as  much  by  their 
own  Lufs,  as  by  the  Tempter's  Subtilty.  They 
are  very  near  as  deep  in  Guilt,  as  the  Deceive-- 
ers  Themfelves  are,  becaufe  the  fame  corrupt 
Principles  are  common  to  Both  3  only  there  is 
N  4  this 


200       7 he  Cafe  of  Deceivers, 

this  Difference,  that  One  fpreads  the  falfe 
Dodrine,  the  Other  gladly  receives  it,  and  by 
receiving  encourages  it,  and  fo  is  pajjively  in- 
jlriimental  m /educing  Others,  and  is  but  07ie 
Remove  from  the  more  aBive  Reducer.  Having 
thus  confider'd  the  feyeral  Cafes  both  of  De- 
ceivers and  Deceived;  it  remains  now  only,  in 
the  third  and  lafl:  Place, 

III. 

To  fubjoin  fome  Advices  proper  to  prevent 
our  falling  in  with  Either. 

The  bejl  Prefervative,  in  this  Cafe,  is  an 
honeji  and  good  Heart,  well-difpofed  towards 
Truth  and  Godlinefs,  having  no  By -Ends  to 
ferve,  no  favourite  Ltiji  or  Pajfion  to  indulge. 
If  Any  Man  is  but  willing  to  know  and  do 
God's  Commandments  ;  He  will  eafily  difcern^ 
in  moll:  Cafes,  whether  a  Doctrine  be  of  God, 
or  whether  it  be  of  Men,  The  Evidences  of 
the  true  Religion^  and  of  its  inain  DoBrines, 
are  fo  bright  and  firong,  when  carefully  atten- 
ded to,  that  common  Senjc  and  Reafon  are  fuffici- 
ent  to  lead  us,  when  there  is  no  Bias  to  mifead 
Us.  If  We  intend  well,  2.n6.  fmcerely  aim  at 
Truth,  and  have  no  Inclination  to  turn  from  it, 
either  to  the  right  or  left,  We  fhall  not  ?jiifs 
of  it ;  at  leafl:,  not  in  any  Points  of  Weight 
or  Concernment .     Retain  but  this  honeji,  an 4 

upright 


^;/^  Deceived,  conjidered.      201 

upright  DiJpof:tio?i  of  Heart,  and  then,  as  You 
can  have  no  IncHnatlon  to  deceive  Others,  fo 
neither  will  you  be  liable  to  be  grojfly,  or  dan- 
geroiijly  deceived  your  Selves.  Many  particular 
Cautions  might  be  given,  which  I  have  no 
Room  to  mention  :  But  He  who  has  once 
well  learnt  the  general  Rule  before  mentioned, 
^  will  need  no  other,  or  will  Himfelf  find  out, 
as  Occafion  offers,  all  the  refl. 

And  now  to  apply  very  briefly  What  hath 
been  here  faid,  to  ouj:  particular  Cafe  and  C/r- 
cimifances. —  We  live  in  an  Age  of  Deceivers, 
and  fo  did  the  Apoftles  Themfelves  :  And  if 
T^heir  Authority,  even  among  Their  own  Dif- 
ciples,  was  not  fiiffxient  to  keep  out  falfe  Doc- 
trines and  dangerous  3  fo  neither  will  any  more 
dijputable  Authority  be  able  to  do  it  now.  It 
is  our  Happinefs  however,  that  both  the  Truth, 
and  the  whole  Truth,  purged  from  every  grofs 
Error  or  Superflition,  is  here  publickly  pro- 
fefs'd  and  taught,  and  every  One  that  runs 
may  read  it.  What  has  been  calmly,  wifelv, 
and  deliberately  fettled  by  excellent  Men, 
Martyrs  here,  and  now  Saints  with  God,  let 
None  lightly  depart  from,  left  They  juflly 
fall  under  the  Cenfure  of  the  Text,  of  being 
Uke  Children  toffed  to  and  fro  with  every  Wijid 
of  DoBrine,  by  the  Sleight  of  Men,  and  cunning 

Qraftinefs 


202       The  Cafe  of  Deceivers, 


Craftinefs  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 
Such  Deceivers  We  are  to  expedl,  and  Such 
We  have  had  lately,  more  perhaps  than  ever. 
For  feveral  Years  laft  pafl,  rude  and  bold 
Attacks  have  been  making  againfi:  the  impor- 
tant DoBrines  of  Chriflianity,  and  againft  all 
Revealed  Religion  :    And  This  is  what  They 
are  ftill  carrying  on  with  exquifite  Subtilty  and 
Craftinefs  many  Ways,  and  with  a  great  deal 
of  fruitlefs  Pains  and  Labour.     For,  I  may 
hatfe  leave  to  fuppofe,  that  No  Man  can  in 
this  Cafe  be  deceived^  who  has  not  firft  a  De~ 
Jire  to  be  Jo,  and  is  not  the  Dupe  and  Bubble  to  his 
6W7t  Liifis  and  Vices.    Attempts  have  been  made 
to  perfuade  Us,  that  private  Vices  are  publick 
Benefits  :  Who  fees  not  that  Their  Lufts  diSiate 
v.'hat  Their  Pens  write,  and  that  the  very  Cor- 
ruption  of  the  Heart  is  come  up  into  the  Head? 
Others  prefume  to  tell  Us,  that  Man  is  no 
Fj^ee  Agent,  and  has  no  Liberty  of  Will -,  from 
whence  it  would  immediately  folloW;,that  there 
is  no  Virtue  nor  Vice,  no  future  Reckoning.  Such 
Dogmatizers  as    Thefe,    only   betray   Their 
own  guilty  Fears,  and,  if  there  be  any  fuch 
Thing,    have  prejudged  Themfelves   before- 
hand   to    everlafting    Damnation.       Others, 
Upily,  have  run  riot  upon  the  Miracles  of  our 
Blcfjcd  Lord,  and  have  thrown  out  more  Blaf- 
I  phemies 


1 


and  Dccdvcdj  conjidered,      203 

phemies  in  a  few  Months  Time,  than  hath  ever 
been  known  in  any  Chriftian  Country,  in  a 
Courfe  of  Ages.  Can  any  ferious  Perfon  be 
deceived  by  thefe  Things,  which  are  frightful 
and  hideous  enough,  almofl  to  chill  his  Blood, 
or  to  make  it  run  backward  in  his  Veins  ? 

It  would  be  affronting  a  Chrijiiajz  Audience^ 
to  exhort  Them  not  to  be  carried  about  with 
any  fuch  Wind  of  Dodlrines  as  have  been 
taught  by  thefe  Blafphemers, .  The  cimning 
Serpent  J  in  thefe  Inftances,  feems  to  have  gone 
beyond  Himfelf,  and  to  have  forgot  hisrwo?2ted 
Subtilty.  The  Impofition  is  too  grofs^  and  the 
Language  too  coarfe  to  fetch  in  Converts.  All 
it  can  do,  is,  to  make  Thofe  ^worje  who  were 
always  bad,  to  render  Them  perhaps  ten  times 
more  the  Children  of  Hell,  than  They  were 
before. 

As  to  Men  of  any  good  Senfe  or  Sobriety,  I 
prefume,  fuch  Attempts  will  only  fill  Them 
with  Horrour  and  Aftonifhment,  and  flir  up 
Their  pious  Zeal  for  God  and  Religion,  May 
all  Attacks  upon  our  mofl  Holy  Faith,  or 
againfl;  any  Branch  of  it,  have  no  other  Ef- 
fed;  :  And  may  our  BlefTed  Lord  God,  v/ho 
alone  can  bring  Good  out  of  Evil,  diredl  and 
over-rule  all  Things  for  the  Good  of  his  Churchy 
thro'  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  .  Amen. 

S  E  R  M  O  N 


SERMON   XI. 

The  Cafe  of  St.  Paul,   in  perfecuttng 
the  Church. 


A  c  T  s  IX.  4,  5. 

And  He  fell  to  the  Rarth^  and  heard  a 
Voke^  faying  unto  Him  ;  Saul^  Sauly 
why  perfecuteji  Thou  Me  P 

And  He  faidy  Who  art  Thou^  Lord? 
And  the  Lord  faidy  I  am  yefus  whom 
Thou  perfecuteji  :  It  is  hard  for  Thee 
to  kick  againfl  the  Pricks. 

HE  Feftival  of  St. Paul's Ojw- 
'uerjion  is  of  great  Note,  and  of 
long  Standing  in  the  Churchy 
not  much  iliort  of  a  Thoufand 
Years.  The  Memorial  of  that 
happy,  miraculous  Converlion,  may  fuggell 
to  Us  many  pious  ^nd  ufeful  Refledions  j  for 

which 


2o6       l^e  Cafe  of  St,  Paul, 

which  Reafon  I  chufe,  conformably  to  our 
Church-Offices,    to  entertain  You,    this  Day, 
upon  That  Subjeft.     Saul  was  once  a  grie^ 
vous  Fcrfecutor  of  the  Church  of  God  :  But, 
by  the  Divine  Bleiling,  He  at  length  changed 
his  Principles,  changing  alfo  his  yewijh  Name 
Saul  into  the  Roman  Favl,  and  became  a 
Chief  Jfojile.     None  of  the  Afojlles  had  fo 
confiderable  a  Haftd  in  converting  Men  to  the 
Chriftian  Faith,  as  this  St. Pau  l  had.     He 
laboured  more  abundantly  than  They  All,     He 
had  for  his  Province  tlie  whole  Gentile  Worlds 
being  therefore  called  the  Apofile  of  the  Gen- 
tiles.    And  as  his  Sermons,  while  living,  drew 
many    Thoufands,     or   even  Thoufands    of 
Thoufands  after  Him,  to  profefs  the  Faith  of 
Christ  ;  fo  the  Writings  which  He  left  be- 
hind Him,  making  up  a  great  Part  of  the  Ca- 
riori-di  the  New  Tejlafnent^  have  been  of  ad- 
mirable Ufe  to  .feed  and  fupport  the  Chrijiia?i 
Church  ever  lince.     Of  this  Great  Man,  and 
Bleiied  Saint,  I  am  now  going  to  treat.    The 
Hiftory  of  his  Converfion  is  particularly  rela- 
ted in  this  Chapter  by  St.  Luke,  and  by  St. 
Paul  Himfelf  once  and  again  in  Chapters 
the  xxiidj   and  xxvit^  of  this  Book  of  the 
A5fs.     Such  particular  Care  has  been  taken 
by  Divine  Providence,  that  an  Event  fo  me- 
morable 


in  perfecuting  the  Church.      207 

morable  fhould  be  tranfmitted  down  to  Pofle- 
rity  with  Marks  of  Honour  and  Advantage.  o-ijg^^ 

It  was  about  two  Years  after  our  Lord  was  ^,  dr>^  t 
gone  to  Heaven,  that  this  fo  famed  Converiion 
was  wrought.  Saul,  for  a  Year  or  tv^o  be- 
fore, had  behaved  as  blind  Zealots  are  ufed  to 
do,  with  great  Warmth  and  Fury.  He  was 
then  in  the  Heat  of  his  Youth,  about  30  Years 
old,  very  honeft  and  fincere  in  his  Way,  and 
exceedingly  zealous  for  the  Law  of  his  God. 
As  He  had  been  bred  up  a  Jew^  and  of  the 
jiricieji  SeB  among  Them,  a  Hebrew  of  the 
Hebrews  by  Defcent^  and  by  Farty  a  Fharifee ; 
He  thought  it  became  Him  to  maintain  the 
Religion  of  his  Country,  and  the  Faith  of  his 
Anceftors,  with  all  imaginable  Vigour  againfl 
All  Oppofers.  The  Prejudices  of  Education 
were  fo  ftrong^  and  his  natural  Temper  withal 
fo  eager  and  impetuous,  that  He  ftaid  not  to 
examine  into  the  Merits  of  the  Ch?'iftian  Caufe^ 
into  the  Truth  or  Credibility  of  the  then  new, 
and  juft  commencing  Religion  :  But  as  He  very 
well  knew  that  his  own  Religion  wsis  from  God, 
He  too  haftily  concluded  that  This  other,  now 
pretending  to  rival  it,  could  not  be  divine  alfo. 
Under  this  fal/e  Ferfuafion,  He  laboured  to 
dejiroy  it,  believing  it  his  Duty  fo  to  do,  and 
that  the  Honour  of  God  required  it  at  his  Hands. 

Fired 


2o8        The  Cafe  of  St  Paul, 

Fired  with  the  Thought,  He  entred  a  Kind 
of  Volunteer  into  the  Service,  went  of  his 
own  accord  to  the  Magijirates  to  take  out  his 
Warrants  for  perfecuting  the  poor  Chrijiians. 
He  had  Commijjion  given  Him  to  break  open 
their  Houfes,  to  feize  and  apprehend  Chriftian 
Men  or  Women,  and  to  hale  them  by  Force 
to  Prifon,  in  Order  to  have  flill  greater  Seve- 
rities exercifed  upon  Them.  While  He  was 
thus  driving  on  with  unbridled  Zeal,  He  dif- 
trelTed  the  Chrijiians  all  about  yerujalem^  and 
purfued  them  even  to  Jlrange  Cities.  One  of 
thofe  Jlrange  Cities^  about  i6o  Miles  from 
yerufalem,  was  Damafciis  ^  and  thither  was  He 
marching  with  all  Hafte,  to  fearch  for  Chrijii- 
ans^  that  He  might  bring  Them  away  bound 
in  Chains,  to  be  tried  and  executed  at  'Jern- 
falem  :  But  while  He  Was  yet  upon  the  Road 
•near  to  Damafius^  it  pleafed  the  BlefTed  Jesus 
to  look  mercifully  down  from  Heaven,  and 
to  take  Pity  both  upon  the  Church  and  Him. 
He  calls  to  Him,  through  a  Gleam  of  Light, 
brighter  than  the  Sun  at  Mid-day  ;  Saul, 
Saul,  why  perfecuteft  Thou  Me  ?  To  which, 
Saul,  trembling  and  pale,  replied,  Who  art 
Thou  Lord'^  The  Voice  again  anfwered,  I  am 
Jesus  whom  Thou  perfecuteft ;  //  is  hard  for  Thee 
to  kick  againjl  the  Pricks.     Hard  for  Thee  to 

contend 


in  per/ecuting  the  Church.      209 

contend  with  Me  thy  Maker  and  Governor^  who 
can  crufli  Thee  at  Pleafure.  All  Thy  At- 
tempts againfl  Me  are  like  kicking  againfl  the 
Spikes  :  They  will  not  hurt  Me,  but  they 
will  prove  fiital  to  T^hee,  if  perfiiled  in.  Saul, 
after  this  fo  friendly  and  heavenly  Warning, 
inflantly  fubmitted  -,  and  from  that  Time  for- 
wards put  off  the  Perjecutor,  to  become  a 
Convert,  and  an  Apojile  of  Christ.  This  is 
a  fhort  Account  of  the  Fad:,  which  the  Text 
relates  to  :  And  now  I  proceed  to  make  the 
proper  Reflections,  and  Obfervations  upon  it, 

I.  Confider  .We  Saul  as  a  Ferfeciitor,  and 
the  Guilt  He  contracted  in  being  Juch, 

II.  Confider  We  the  Alleviation  of  his  Guilt, 
on  the  Account  whereof  He  found  Mercy. 

III.  Obferve  We  the  exceeding  great  Good- 
nefs  of  our  BlelTed  Lord,  both  to  Him 
and  to  the  Church,  in  this  Aifair. 

IV.  Confider  We  the  proper  Ufe,  or  Appli- 
cation to  be  made  of  the  Whole, 

L 

Confider  We  Saul  as  a  Perfecutor,  and  the 
Guilt  He  contracted  in  bei?2g  fuch, 

"Vol.  II.  Co'  -  However 


210        TheCafe  of  St^Vh-ULy 

However  ho7ieJi  and  Jincere  He  had  been  in 
doing  it,  however  fully  perfuaded  in  his  own 
Mind  that  He  was  ferving  God  in  it,  yet  He 
never  refledled  upon  it  afterwards  but  with 
Shame  and  Regret^  with  a  penitential  Sorrow 
and  Remorfe  for  it.  /  'uerily  thought  with  my 
felf  fays  He  in  one  Place,  that  1  ought  to  do 
many  Things  contrary  to  the  Name  of  ]-E.siiS  of 
Nazareth  \  He  did  it,  it  feems,  in  a  full 
Perfua/ion^  with  an  upright  Co7jfcience,  and  in 
the  Integrity  of  his  Heart  :  Notwithflanding 
which,  He  elfe where  ranks  Himfelf  among 
Sinners,  on  that  very  Account. 

By  our  Tranflation  it  fhould  feem  He  was 
Chief  of  Sinners  ;  becaufe  it  is  there  faid.  Of 
whom  I  am  Chiefs  :  But  I  conceive,  mu  -^pooro? 
s'l  fjii ' Eyoj  (hould  I'athQr  be  rendred,  of  whom  I 
amfrf,  meaning  not  that  He  was  either  the 
Chief  or  the  Firjl  of  Sinners,  ahjhlutely,  but 
the  Firft  or  Chief  of  thofe  Sinners  whom 
Christ,  in  a  remarkable  Manner,  h-xAJljewji 
Mercy  to  j  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe  : 
Howbeit,  for  this  Caiife  I  obtained  Mercy ^  'iva  \v 
Ifjioi  liT^oorw,  that  in  Me  Firil  Jesus  Christ 
7?iight  fiew  forth  all  Long-Suffering,  6cc. 

But  to  proceed.  In  another  Place,  humbling 
Himfelf  for  his  Sin  in  this  Particular,  He  fays^ 

latf^ 

f  Ads  xxvl.  g.  ^  I  Tim.  i.  1 5, 


hi  perfecuting  the  Church,     211 

I  am  the  Leafi  of  the  Apoftks,  that  am  not  meet 
to  be  called  an  j^pojile,  hecaufe  I  perfecuted  the 
Church  of  God^,  He  takes  Shame  to  Himfelf, 
and  confefTes  his  Guiltmefs,  in  that  He  had 
perfeciited  the  Church  of  God.  For,  tho'  He  had 
CommiJJion  from  the  Magiflrates,  and  might 
perhaps  have  been  jiijlified  in  profecuting  Thofe 
who  fhould  difiurb  the  Peace  for  the  Sake  of  an 
Impojiure^  or  for  any  falfe  Religio?2  ;  yet,  720 
Cojmnijfion  could  juftfy,  or  wholly  exciife  any 
Man  in  perfecuting  the  Truth,  in  perfecuting 
the  Church  of  God.  No  Concerns  of  te?nporal 
Peace  are  of  any  Moment  in  fuch  a  Cafe  :  But 
both  They  who  commiffion,  and  They  who  a6i 
under  it,  are  ahke  guilty,  in  oppoling  the  Will 
of  Heaven,  in  fighting  againft  God.  No  Per- 
fuafion  of  Mind,  no  Sincerity  of  Heart  can 
altogether  juflify  in  fuch  Cafes ;  becaufe  God 
never  does  fend  out  any  Religion,  but  He 
gives  alfo  fujfcieiit  Crede?2tials  with  it ;  which, 
\i  calmly  confidered,  and  carefully  attended  to,  in 
fuch  a  Manner  as  All  Men  ought  to  do  in  a 
Matter  of  that  High  Concernment,  vv^ill  be  found 
to  be  abundantly  full  and  fatisfaBory.  Sau l 
was  too  eager  and  hajiy,  to  confider  well  the 
Cafe.  Prepoffeffion  had  blinded  Him,  and  He 
jfufFered  his  Paffions  to  run  before  his  Reafon, 
Vol,  II.  O  2  He 

f  J  Cor.  XV.  9, 


212       T^e  Cafe  of  St,  Paul, 

He  took  It  too  eafily  for  granted,  that  T^ruth 
was  on  his  Side,  without  fo  much  as  allowing 
the  other  Side  2ifair  Hearing,  This  was  "wrong 
Judgment,  and  a  wry  great  Fault  in  a  Perfon 
of  his  good  Senfe  and  great  Abilities  of  Mind. 
It  was  the  greater,  becaufe  it  was  a  Caufe  of 
Blood,  and  the  Lives  of  many  Thoufands  might 
be  concern'd  in  it.  It  is  exceeding  ^;2/z//  and 
dangerous  to  miftake  in  fuch  a  Cafe  :  For,  if  the 
ftippofed  Offence  of  Thofe  W^  om  He  fo  perfe- 
cutes  be  not  proved,  and  the  Crime  clear,  it  is 
77iurdering  Men,  inftead  of  doing  Jufbice.  St. 
Paul,  afterwards,  did  not  forget  to  make 
Mention  of  this  High  Aggravation  of  his 
Fault  ;  For  thus  He  fpeaks :  When  the  Blood 
of  thy  Martyr  Stephen  ivas  fed,  I  alfo  was 
Jlajjding.by,  and  confenting  unto  his  Death,  and 
kept  the  Raiment  of  Them  that  few  Him  a.  It 
is  very  true,  that,  by  th&JewiJJj  Law,  Blafphe- 
mers  and  Falfe  Prophets,  and  Such  as  attempted 
to  f educe  the  People  from  the  true  Religion,  were 
to  be  put  to  Death :  And  accordingly  the  Pro- 
phet Elijah,  and  King  Jehu,  made  no 
Scruple  of  fhedding  the  Blood  of  the  Priejis 
and  Worjldippers  of  Baal,  as  was  proper  and 
neceffary  to  do  :  But  then  thofe  Priejis,  and 
thofe  Worfippers  were  really  Impofors^  Sedu-^ 

■  cers^ 

•  A2ls  xxji*.  20, 


in  perfecuting  the  Church,      21  i 

cers,  and  grofs  Idolaters,  and  deferved  to  fuffer. 
The  Chri/iians-v^trQ  quite  contrary :  Their  G?;^ 
was  jujiy  their  Religion  true,  their  Commi£ion 
divine  j  which  the  Perfecutors  Themfelves 
might  eafily  have  perceived,  had  They  but 
duly  attended  either  to  the  Nature  of  the  Doc-' 
trine,  or  to  the  Miracles  wrought  in  Confirma- 
tion of  it,  or  to  Their  own  Prophecies^  which, 
long  before  had  made  way  for  it,  and  given 
Teftimony  to  it. 

Upon  the  Whole  then,  Saul,  confidered  as 
a  F erf e cuter  of  the  Church  of  God,  cannot  be 
acquitted  of  Prejudice,  Partiality,  and  precipi" 
tate  fudgment,  in  a  Caufe  which  demanded 
cool  Deliberation,  and  the  moil  fcrupulous  Care^ 
Caution,  and  Sedatenefs.     Proceed  We  next, 

IL 

To  confider  What  may  be  pleaded  to  fof ten 
and  alleviate  hk  Guilt  in  it,  on  Account  of  which 
He  found  Mercy. 

He  Himfelf  has  intimated  how  the  Cafe 
ftood  with  Him  5  obferving,  that,  tho'  He  had 
been  fome  time  a  Blafphemer,  and  a  Perfecuter^ 
and  Injurious  ;  yet  He  obtained  Mercy,  becaufe 
He  did  it  ignorantly  in  JJnbelief^,  He  did  not 
hnqw  that  the  Chriftian  Religion  ^zs>from  God, 
O  3  '    and 

\  1  T^m.i.  i3i 


2i4      215^  Cq/e  of  aSV.  Paul,  ^ 

and  that  the  Jewi/h  was  to  ceafe  and  give  way 
to  it.  He  had  no  Sufpicion,  no  Thought  of 
any  fuch  Thing  :  He  meant  and  intended  vjd[\, 
while  He  was  doing  amifi  :  This  is  his  Excufe, 
It  may  be  faid  in  Anfwer,  that  He  might 
have  known  better,  if  He  had  been  pleafed  to 
examine —  Very  true.  He  77iight  -,  and  therefore 
He  is  blameahle  :  ^But  ftill  his  Heart  was  honej} 
and  good,  and  therefore  his  Mi/lake  was  pitia- 
ble^  and  pardonable.  His  Ignorance  was  not  al- 
together affeBed  and  ivilfuly  but  had  a  great 
Mixture  of  natural  'Temper  and  Human  Frail- 
ty^ to  alleviate  and  qualify  it.  The  Jews  who 
crucified  our  Saviour,  did  it  thrd  Ignorance"^  : 
And  therefore  our  BlelTed  Lord,  praying  for 
Them  upon  the  Crofs,  fays.  Father  forgive 
^Them,  for  They  know  not  what  They  do  ^,  And 
yet  it  mufl  be  obferved,  that  Their  Ignorance 
was  much  more  affeSied  zndi  culpable^  than  St. 
Paul's  was ;  as  proceeding  from  a  much  more 
corrupt  Heart.  Envy,  Pride,  Malice,  and 
other  vile  AffeSlions  had  blinded  Their  Eyes, 
and  corrupted  Their  Underfcandings :  Whereas 
St. Paul's  Ignorance  feems  to  have  been  ow- 
ing chiefly,  or  folely,  to  the  almoil  infuperable 
Prejudices  of  Education ,  and  the  yiatural  Warmth 
and  Vivacity  of  his  Spirit.  He  had  Zeal  with- 
out 


ACis 


'/• 


^  Lakexxiii.  340 


in  perfecutlng  the  Church      215 

cut  Knowledge^  more  Heat  than  Light :  But  it 
was  a  Zeal  for  God^  and  not  for  any  of  the 
Ho?20itrs^  or  Riches,  or  Tleafures  of  this  World. 
His  Miflakes  proceeded  from  no  evil  Frinciple^ 
no  Jinijter  Aims,  ov  corrupt  Views  -,  but  from  an 
over  eager  Defire  oi promoting,  as  He  believed, 
the  Hotioiir  and  Glory,  of  God,  in  the  Way 
which  He  had  been  bred  up  to,  and  which  He 
had  never  yet  prefumed  to  call  in  Queftioru 
He  had  lived  in  all  good  Confcience  before  God  ^ ; 
2Lftri6i  Obferver  of  th.&  fewifh  Law,  ^nd, true 
to  his  Frofejjion  and  Principles  :  But  a  new 
Cafe,  a  new  Hurn  of  "Religion  came  which  He 
had  not  ftfpeBed,  and  which  He  was  too  hajiy 
to  allow  Himfelf  Time  to  confider.  All  This 
was  confiflent  with  a  very  honeji  and  goodMindy 
fincerely  zealous  for  the  Honour  of  God,  but 
mifguided  by  an  erroneous  Confcience.  Our 
BlelTed  Lord,  well  knowing  the  Integrity  of 
his  Heart,  was  pleafed  to  overlook  his  Failings^ 
and  to  receive  Him  into  his  own  more  imme- 
diate Service.  He  approved  his  upright  Zeal^ 
which  wanted  Nothing  but  clearer  Light,  and 
a  better  Diredfion,  He  indulges  Him  the  Fa- 
vour of  an  heavenly  ViHon,  condefcends  to 
fpeak  to  Him  from  above,  and  finds  Him  as 
willing  and  ready,  upon  Corre^iion^  to  embrace 
O  4  §nd 

'  Adsxxiii.  I, 


2i6       The  Cafe  of  St.V kVi-Lj 

and  propagate  the  Chriflian  Religion,  as  He 
had  before  been  to  perfecnte  and  dejiroy  if. 
Which  brings    me  to  confider  in  the  third 

Place^ 

III. 

The  exceeding  great  Goodnefs  of  our  Blef- 
fed  Lord,  both  to  St.  Paul  and  to  the  Churchy 
in  this  Affair. 

How  kind,  and  how  gracious  were  the 
Words  which  our  Lord  fpake  :  Saul,  Saul, 
ivhy  pcrfecutcfi  Thou  Me  ?  intimating  the  Love 
and  Tendernefs  He  had  for  all  his  true  Follow- 
ers; infomuch  that  He  looked  upon  any  Inju- 
ries committed  againft  Them,  to  be  as  fo  ma- 
ny Injuries  done  to  Hlm/elf.  Next,  He  gave 
the  good  Man  a  feafonable,  and  a  very  affecting 
Caution.  I  am  Jesus,  who?ji  Thou  perfeciiteji  : 
I  am  Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  the  World  (fo  the 
Name  fignifies)  it  is  hard  for  Thee  to  contend 
v/ith  One  fo  much  mightier  than  Thou  art  : 
Stop  thy  Career,  and  retreat  in  Time.  Thefe 
were  moving  Arguments,  and  pierced  to  the 
very  Soul.  But  to  make  the  Impreffion  flill 
ftronger.  He  was  pleafed  to  furround  Him 
with  dazling  Light,  and  to  ftrike  Him  quite 
blind  for  a  Time.  He  had  the  better  Oppor- 
tunity of  retiring  inwards^  to  confider  the  more 
clofely,  and  to  recolle^fl.  Thefe  outward  Means ^ 

together 


in  perfecutlng  the  Church,      217 

together  with  inward  Grace^  had  their  full  Ef- 
fed:,  and  made  Saul  become  a  very  obedient 
and  humble  Convert  to  the  Faith  o/' Christ. 
Thus  the  Man  was  marvelloufly  refcued  from 
the  Jaws  of  Death  and  Hell,  in  order  to  be- 
come a  great  and  glorious  Saint  in  Heaven. 
Such  was  our  Lord's  Kindnefs  to  Him  in  par- 
ticular. 

But,  What  is  ftill  more  confiderable,  was 
the  exceeding  Goodnefs  therein  fhewn  to  the 
Church  in  general.  It  was  not  only  taking  off 
a  very  furious  and  dangerous  Enemy  -,  but  it  was 
making  of  Him  One  of  the  kindeil  and  beft 
of  Friends.  There  was  No  Man  better  quali- 
Jied  to  ferve  the  Churchy  both  by  preaching  and 
writing,  than  St.  Paul.  He  had  great  ;2^/z^- 
ral  Abilities,  improved  by  a  liberal  and  polite 
Education  5  to  which  alfo  were  fuper-added 
many  extraordinary  fupernatural  Gifts  ■:  And 
one  Advantage  more  He  had  above  the  Refi 
of  the  Apofiles ;  that  He  could  tell  both  Jews 
and  Pagans,  whom  He  went  to  convert,  that 
He  had  been  once  as  vehemently  prejudiced  a- 
gainfi:  Chrijiia?iity ,  as  I'hey  could  be  j  that  He 
had  been  mad  enough  even  to  perfecute  it ; 
that  He  knew  the  utjnoji  They  could  have  to 
cbjeB  to  it,  for  He  had  been  one  of  the  Objec- 
tors Himfelfj  and  upon  as  good  R^afons  as  Any 


2i8       The  Cafe  of  St.  V AM hy 

Man  elfe  could  be  :  And  yet,  after  all.  He 
had  met  with  full  ConviBion  of  the  Folly  of 
his  former  Courfe,  and  of  the  neceffary  Obli- 
gation which  Every  Man  lay  under,  to  fubmit 
their  Prejudices  to  the  Law  of  Ch  r  i  s  t  .  When 
Any  leading,  or  confiderable  Man  of  a  SecS: 
changes  Sides^  and  there  is  no  vilible  Interefty 
no  worldly  ProfpeBs  which  could  invite  Him  to 
it.  His  Example  carries  very  confiderable  Force 
and  Weight  with  it.  It  is  reafonably  prefu- 
med  in  fuch  a  Cafe,  that  Nothing  lefs  than 
Detnonflration,  or  fome  Divine  Impulfe,  could 
work  ConviBioTi  upon  a  Perfon  io  flrongly  pre^ 
fojjefedy  and  prejudiced  another  Way.  On  this 
Account,  St.  Paul's  preaching  up  Christ 
among  Jews  and  Gentiles^  was  more  affec- 
ting and  forcible  than  'That  of  St.  Peter,  or 
St.  John,  or  Any  Other  of  the  Apoflles.  They 
had  been  Friends  to  Christ's  Religion  from 
the  Beginmngy  and  might  perhaps  be  fufpedied 
of  fome  partial  Fondnejs  towards  it :  But  Pau  l 
had  been  a  prcfefjed  Adverfary  to  it,  and  very 
bitter  againft  it ;  fo  that  Nothing  but  a  flrong 
Convidion  of  its  Truth  and  Certainty  could 
have  made  Him  efpoufe  it.  It  is  from  this  very . 
Man,  once  an  avowed  and  declared  Enemy  to 
Chriftianity,  that  We  have,  at  this  Day,  14 
Epijiks  written  in  Defence  and  Confirmation  of 

it. 


in  ferfecuting  the  Church,      219 

it.  He  was  the  Chofe7i  Vejj'el^  the  principal  In- 
ftrument  which  God  made  Ufe  of,  for  con- 
verting and  reforming  the  World  -,  becaufe  He, 
of  All  Men,  having  been  07ice  an  Enemy ^  and 
now  become  a  Friendj  was  the  mofl  likely  to  per* 
fuade.  What  Advantage  that  fingle  Circum- 
flance  gave  St.  Paul  in  his  Preaching,  maybe 
learn'd  from  What  is  faid  in  the  21ft  verfe  of 
this  ixth  Chapter  of  the  Ads.  All  that  heard 
HhUy  were  amazed  and  faid ,  Is  not  'This  He  that 
defiroyed  Them  which  called  on  This  Name  in  y^- 
rufalejn  &c.  And  St.  Paul  Himfelf  takes  no- 
tice of  it,  in  thefe  Words :  They  had  heard  that 
He  which  perfecntedUs  in  Times  paji^  now  preach^ 
eth  the  Faith ,  which  once  He  defiroyed^  and  They 
glorified  God  in  Me  ». 

IV. 

It  remains  now  only  to  conlider  the  proper 
Ufe,  and  Application  to  be  made  of  the  Whole. 

I.  And  firft,  let  Us  learn  from  the  Inftance 
of  St.  Paul,  how  much  it  concerns  Every  Man 
to  take  Care,  that  He  judges  right  in  all  Mat- 
ters of  high  Confequence  efpecially,  and  that 
his  Confcience  be  duly  informed.  Let  No  Man 
truft  to  a  meer  Perfiafion  of  Mind,  Tvhich  may 
be  owing  only  to  PrepoJJ'eJfion  and  Prejudice -y  but 
let  Him  well  and  wifely  examine  upon  what 

'    Foundation 

2  Gal.  i.  23,  24. 


2  20       7he  Cafe  of  St,  Pa  UL, 

Foundation  his  prefent  yudgment  is  grounded. 
Infinite  Mifchiefs  may  arife  from  an  erroneous 
Confcience,  and  a  mifguided  Zeal.  It  is  not fuffi- 
cient  to  jnean  and  intoid  well^  in  fuch  Cafes :  But 
it  is  further  neceflary  to  take  all  reafonable  Care 
to  be  rightly  and  fidly  i^tformed,  that  fo  We 
may  know  certainly  what  we  do,  and  may  be 
able  to  juflify  it  upon  true  2inAjbund  Principles, 
ignorance  of  the  Rule  will  not  exciife  a  Man  in 
ad:lng  againf.  it ,  becaufe  He  ought  to  know  the 
Rule  He  is  to  aft  by  ;  which  He  may  do,  if 
He  will  be  at  the  Pains  to  attend  and  look  into 
it.  Yet  it  muil  be  acknowledged,  on  the  other 
Hand,  that  many  merciful  Allowances  will  be 
made  for  Men  of  fincere  Virtue  and  Probity y 
Who  have  been  mifled  only  by  the  almoft  in- 
fuperable  Prejudices  of  Education,  and  whofe 
Miftakes  have  been  owing  more  to  Natural  In- 
fir?mty  and  Human  Frailty,  than  to  any  evil  Dif 
pofition  oi  2.  corrupt  Heart.  St.  Paul  found 
Mercy,  on  this  Account  chiefly :  And  fo  may 
Other  mifguided  Zealots  who  have  the  fafne 
Probity  of  Mind  which  St.  Paul,  even  before 
his  Converfion,  had. 

2.  From  the  fame  Inftance  of  St.  Paul, learn 
W^e  a  ready  Suhmijfwn  and  Obedience  to  Truth 
and  Godlinefs,  when  fitfficiently  propounded  to 
Us,     Lay  We  afide  all  i?iveterate  Prejudices, 

and 


in  perfecuting  the  Church,      221 

and  ftubborn  Reludances,  as  foon  as  ever  We 
have  Light  ejioiigh  to  fee  that  We  have  been  in 
an  Error,  and  that  We  ought  to  retra5i.  There 
is  a  great  Deal  of  Pride  and  Obftinacy  in  fome 
Tempers,  which  renders  Them  proof  againft 
Convi(ftion.  They  are  averfe  to  own  They  have 
ever  been  in  the  wrong,  left  it  be  a  Reflection 
upon  Their  Judgment,  and  lefTen  Their  Efteem 
in  the  World.  This  is  Folly  and  Vanity. 
There  is  no  real  Difcredit,  but  Honour  rather, 
in  g?^owing  ivifer :  And  it  is  much  more  credit- 
able to  correB  our  Follies  or  MiAakes,  than  to 
perjijl  in  them.  How  relign'd  and  tractable 
was  the  good  Apostle  of  this  Day!  how  ready- 
both  to  own,  and  to  retradf  his  former  Errors 
and  Mfcondiici  !  how  fincerely  penitent  for  them^^ 
and  zealous  to  a?nend  them  !  He  valued  not 
the  Imputation  of  Levity  or  Inconflancy  :  To 
change  for  the  better ,  fliewed  the  truefi  Conftancy 
of  a  well-difpofed  Mind.  He  regarded  not  the 
Flouts  or  Reproaches  of  his  Party,  Whom  He 
had  deferted  for  Christ.  Let  Them  call 
Him  a  Deferter,  a  Renegade,  an  Apoftate,  or 
What  They  pleafed  :  He  knew  that  He  had 
weighty  and  unanfwerable  "Reafons  for  leaving 
Them,  and  that  •T/'fc}' ought  alfo  to  follow,  under 
Pain  and  Peril  of  being  Themfelves  deferted 
and  abandoned  by  God,  Such  was  St.  Paul's 
I  wife 


222       The  Cafe  of  St.V Av h^ 

wife  and  willing  Compliance  with  what  was 
right  and  juft,  as  foon  as  apprized  of  it  j  which 
fhew'd  a  large  Soul,  and  a  generous  Probity  of 
Mind,  and  is  an  admirable  Pattern  for  Others 
to  copy  after. 

3.  Thirdly,  and  laflly.  Learn  We  from  the 
whole  Tranfadion,  which  We  this  Day  com- 
memorate, the  Truth  and  Certainty  of  our  Lord's 
RefurreBion  and  Afcenjion  into  Heaven,  his 
Power  and  Majefly  there  as  Lord  of  all,  and 
his  exceeding  Goodnefs  in  looking  down  from 
thence  to  take  Care  of  his  Church  here  below ; 
and  how  dangerous  a  Thing  it  will  be,  and  how 
fatal  to  the  Undertakers,  to  perfift  in  any  At- 
tempts againfl  Him.  It  will  be  hard  for  Them 
to  kick  againji  the  Pricks,  What  Account  then 
ihall  Thofe  Men  have  to  give,  Who  itill  op- 
pofe^  and,  as  much  as  in  Them  lies,  perfecute 
the  Religion  of  Christ  ?  I  fpeak  not  now  of 
yews.  Pagans,  or  Maho?netans,  Who  may  have 
the  Prejudices  of  Education  to  plead,  as  St.PAUL 
had,  to  alleviate  Their  Sin  in  doing  it :  But  I 
fpeak  of  Such  as  have  been  baptized  2.nd  bred  tip 
in  this  very  Religion,  and  have  revolted  from  it, 
and  labour,  if  it  were  poflible,  to  deftroy  it. 
Their  Conduct  is  plainly  monjlrous,  and  Their 
Crime  unpardonable.  They  have  no  Colour  for 
it,  no  Temptation  to  it,  more  than  what  fprings 

from 


in  perfecuting  the  Church,     223 

from  a  wicked  and  corrupt  Heart,  Either  the 
Pride  of  Singularity,  or  the  Spirit  of  Contra- 
didion,  or  Malice  towards  the  Profellion  of 
this  Religion,  or  the  Averfion  they  have  to 
Rule  and  Reftraint,  or,  in  a  Word,  Their Jirong 
Attachment  toTheir  Lujis  and  /^/V^i,makesTheni 
wild  and  outragious,  and  fo  of  Courfe  drives 
Them  upon  any  defperate  Lengths.  The  Time 
will  come,  when  the  Lord  Jesus,  Whom 
^hey  perj'eciite,  will  take  fad  Vengeance  upon 
Them  in  Flames  of  Fire.  In  the  mean  while, 
let  Every  ferious  Chriftian  deteft  and  abomi- 
nate fuch  flagrant  Inftances  of  Impiety  :  And 
let  Us  however  make  this  good  Ufe  of  Them, 
as  they  are  Occaiions  offered,  to  flir  Us  up 
and  to  awaken  Us  to  a  more  fervent  Zeal  for 
our  moft  Holy  Profellion,  endeavouring  alfo 
to  adorn  the  Same  with  a  Converfation  fuitable 
'to  the  Go/pel  o/Curut^ 


SERMON 


SERMON   XII. 

C  H  R I  s  t's  Sacrifice  of  Him/elf  explain- 
ed ;  and  Mans  Duty  to  offer  fpiri- 
iual  Sacrifice  inferred,  and  recom- 
mended. 


Ephes.  v.  I,  2. 
Be  Ye  therefore  Followers  of  God^  as  dear 
Children  ;  artd  walk  in  Love^  as 
Christ  alfo  hath  loved  Us,  and  hath 
given  Himfelf  for  Us,  an  Offering 
and  a  Sacrifice  to  God  for  a  fweet- 
fmelling  Savmr, 

H  E  S  E  Words  carry  in  them 
an  inftrudive  LeiTon  concern- 
ing CnRiST*s  Death  and  Paf- 
fion^  together  with  a  praBical 
Conclufwn   drawn   from   it,    to 
fhew  the  Ufe  and  Improvement  which  We 
ought  to  m^ake  of  it.    As  Chilis t  hath  loved 
Vol.  II.  P  Us. 


226  CuKisT^s  Sacrifice 

Us,  and  gave  Himfelf  a  Sacrifice  to  God  upon 
the  Crofs  for  Us  (a  fure  Pledge  and  Token  of 
his  Kindnefs  towards  Us)  fo  ought  We  to  give 
np  our  fehes  to  God  in  all  holy  Obedience,  but 
more  particularly  in  the  Offices  o^  Love  towards 
our  Brethren,  as  fuch  Offices  are  the  moft  ac- 
ceptable Sacrifices  that  We  can  offer  to.  God 
moft  High.  The  general  Meaning  and  Intend- 
ment of  the  Text  being  thus  briefly  opened, 
I  may  now  proceed  to  a  particular  Confideration 
of  the  two  7?tain  Branches  of  it ;  namely,  our 
Lord's  unexampled  Sacrifice  made  in  his  Death, 
for  the  Honour  of  God  and  the  Good  of  Men  -, 
and  Our  own  Sacrifice  of  Our  Selves  in  the 
whole  Courfe  of  our  Lives,  which  ought  to 
bear  fome  Analogy  to  our  Lord's,  and  to  be, 
as  it  were,  a  Copy  drawn  from  it,  as  an  hum- 
ble Imitation  of  it. 

I. 

I  begin  with  our  Lord's  Sacrifice,  That  Great 
Sacrifice  which  was  from  all  Eternity  forelaid 
in  the  High  Counfels  of  Heaven ;  which  was 
intimated  to  Mankind  as  foon  as  there  was 
Need  for  it  (that  is,  immediately  after  the 
Fall)  which,  probably,  gave  Birth  and  Rife  to 
ell  Other  Sacrifices  whatfoever,  whether  in  the 
ycwijh  or  Gentile  World  j  but  which  undoubt- 
I  edly 


of  Himfelf  explained.         227 

edly  was  as  the  Pattern  in  the  Mount  to  all 
the  Sacrifices  of  the  Old  Teftament  (Mofalcal^ 
or  Patriarchal)  all  which  pointed  to  it,  refted 
upon  it,  and  centred  in  it.  No  fooner  had 
Man  forfeited  the  Favour  of  God  by  commit- 
ting Sin,  but  there  appeared  a  NeceiTity  of  a 
Sacrifice  for  Sin,  to  re-inflate  Him.  Divine 
Wifdom  appointed  it,  and  called  for  it :  From 
whence  We  may  certainly  infer,  that  Reafons 
of  Juflice,  or  (which  comes  to  the  fame)  the 
unerring  Rules  of  Divine  Government  required 
it.  God  would  not,  or  in  Reafon  could  not, 
be  appeafed  without  it :  But  with  it  He  might, 
and  He  has  declared  that  He  would.  He  ac- 
cepts of  our  Lord's  Sacrifice  as  a  grateful  O- 
dour,  a  fweet-jrnelling  Savour  delightful  to 
Him,  as  recoiwiling  his  Jufiice  and  Goodnefs 
together,  fecuring  the  Honour  of  his  Laws, 
and  at  the  fatT.e  time  providing  for  the  Felicity 
of  Man. 

The  firft  Time  We  meet  with  the  Phrafe 
oi fweet-fmelling  Savour ,  oifweet  Savour  (which 
comes  to  the  fame)  is  in  the  viii*^^  Chapter 
QtiGenefis,  v.  21,  where  Noah  having  offer- 
ed Burnt-offerings,  the  Lord  is  faid  to  have 
fmelled  a  jhjoeet  Savour,  or  a  Savour  of  Rejf, 
When  God  fpeaks  to  Men,  He  accommodates 
his  Expreffions  to  the  Language  of  Men,  in 

Vol.  II.  P  2  Order 


228  Cn'SLi^r's  Sacrifice 

Order  to  be  underflood  by  Them.     He  con- 
defcends  to  make  Ufe  of  Their  low  PhrafeS, 
to  exprefs   high  and  fublime  Truths  in  the 
moft  af^eding  and  fenfible  Way.    The  Figure, 
or  SimiUtude  here  made  ufe  of,  is  very  eaiily 
underllood  :    For,    as   Perfumes   are   grate- 
ful to  Man's  Senfe,  fo  are  virtuous  and  godly 
Ads  or  Exercifes  grateful  to  the  Divine  Mind, 
Our  Lord's  Obedience  unto  Death,  even  the 
Death  of  the  Crofs,  was  eminently  a   godly 
Service,  the  mofi:  exalted  In  fiance  of  true  P/- 
ety  and  Charity  that  ever  was,  or  ever  could 
be  performed.     It  was  more  than  All  Men,  or 
All  Angels,  more  than  the  whole  Creation  in 
a  Body  together  could  have  done  towards  the 
pacifying  of  God,  and  reconciling  of  Man  ; 
and  therefore  it  was  as  the  richefi  'Perfume^ 
having  a  moft  delightful  Fragrancy^    fuch  as 
None  other  can  come  up  to,    inafmuch    as 
that  therein  God  is  well  pleafed. 

To  make  This  appear  the  more  diftindly. 
We  may  confider,  Tirji,  the  Pr  i  est  :  Second- 
ly, the  Sacrifice  :  Thirdly,  the  Al  t  a  r  : 
And  laftly,  the  Divine  Law -giver  to 
Whom  the  OJering  was  made,  and  by  Whom 
It  was,  and  is  accepted. 

I.  A  Priest,  properly  fpeaking,  is  a  Per- 
fon  taken  from  amoftg  Men,  authorized  by  God 

to 


of  Himfelf  explained.        229 

to  be  an  Advocate  for  Them  at  the  Court  of 
Heaven^.  As  a  Prophet  or  an  Apoftle  pro- 
perly is  an  Amhajj'ador  from  God  to  treat  with 
Men  ;  fo  a  Frieft  is  an  Agent  or  Sollicitor,  in 
behalf  <f  Men^  to  treat  with  God.  Our  Lord 
was  both  a  Prophet  and  Priejl,  in  different 
Views  :  But  here  We  are  to  confider  Him  in 
his  Sacerdotal  Capacity  only  -,  in  which  Capa- 
city He  made  his  Offering  and  Sacrifice  for 
Sins.  He  is  a  Priefi  of  an  Higher  Order  than 
the  Order  of  Aaron,  the  Orderof  Melchi- 
zedeck,  whofe  Priefthood  was  Royal :  For 
He  was  King  oi  Salem,  which,  in  myfiical 
Coij/iruBiony  is  King  of  Peace.  Melchize- 
DECK,  undoubtedly  was  a  mortal  Man  ;  yet, 
to  make  Him  the  fitter  Type  of  Christ,  He 
is  introduced  as  a  Priefi ^  and  no  Notice  taken 
either  of  his  Birth  or  his  Deceafe  ;  as  if,  like 
Christ,  He  had  had  no Begi?2ning  of  Days, 
nor  were  to  have  Ejtd  of  Life.  He  was  in- 
troduced 2&Blefiing  Abraham,  the  Father  of 
the  Faithful,  to  intimate  that  C  hr  i  st's  Priefi- 
hood  was  to  extend  to  All  the  Faithful^  in  all 
paft,  prefent,  and  future  Ages ;  and  not  to  be 
confined,  like  Aaron's  to  X^^Jews,  only, 
commencing  with  their  Oeconomy,  expiring 
^jth  it.  And  it  is  farther  obfervable,  that 
P  3  Mei.. 


230  Christ's  Sacrifice 

Melchizedeck,  as  introduced  in  Ge?iefis, 
brought  no  Typical  Offerings  or  Sacriiices,  as 
Aavlou  v/as  wont  to  do  :  He  prefented  No- 
thing to  God  but  Himjelf,  and  his  pious  and 
be?icvole72t  Offices  -,  in  which  He-  was  fo  far  a 
Type  of  Christ  (tho'  very  imperfedlly)  ss 
Christ  alfo  offered  Himfelf  and  his  ali-fuf- 
£cient  Services,  adive  and  paflive,  unto  God. 
Melchizedeck  further  exercifed  his  High 
Priefthood,  in  Bkjjtng  the  Father  of  the  Faith- 
ful^ and  feeding  Him  with  Bread  and  Wine  ; 
correfpondently  to  Which,  Our  Lord^  as  High 
Friefi^  Blejj'es  all  the  Faithful  with  all  fpiritual 
Bleflings  a,  and  feed^  Them  with  the  Bread  of 
Heaven,  the  Wine  of  Angels,  with  his  own 
Body  and  Blood. —  But  my  Bufinefs  at  prefent 
is,  not  with  the  Bleffings  confcquent  upon  our 
Lord's  Sacrifice,  but  w^ith  th^  Sacr if ce  it  J'eJf 
of  which  the  Text  fpcaks. 

2.  The  Text  mentions  both  Offering, 
and  Sacrifice  :  Our  Lord  was  Both.  He 
hath  given  Himfelf  for  Us  an  Offerings  and  a 
Sacrifice,  The  Word  Offering  is  of  fomewhat 
larger  Meaning  than  the  Word  Sacrifice :  For, 
every  Sacrifice  is  an  Offering  to  God,  but  every 
Offering  to  God  is  not  a  Sacrifice.  However, 
the  Word  Offerings   in  this  Place,  does  not 

mean 

3  Eph.  i.  3. 


of  Himfelf  explained.        431 

mean  Offering  as  different  from  Sacrifice^  but  as 
Sacrifice  taken  in  a  larger  Senfe,  and  different 
from  Sacrifice  in  2ifiriBer  Acceptation.  There 
were  under  the  Old  Teftament  Offerings  of 
Fifie  Flour,  otherwife  called  Meal-Offerings,  or 
Bread-Offerings  ;  and  there  were  Animal  Sacri- 
fices of  Sheep,  Goats,  Bullocks.  The  MeaU 
Offerings  are  here  alluded  to  under  the  Name 
of  Offering,  and  the  Animal  Sacrifices  under  the 
Name  of  Sacrifice.  They  were  Both  of  them 
Gifts  to  God,  Both  of  them  Sacrifices  in  a  juft 
and  proper  Senfe,  as  Sacrifice  means  a  Prefent 
made  to  God  :  And  They  were  Both  of  them 
I'ypes  or  Figures  of  what  Christ  was  to  give 
to  God  in  the  Sacrifice  of  Himfelf.  He  is  the 
Bread  of  HeaveUy  correfponding  to  the  Jewifh 
Bread-Offering  :  He  is  the  Lam^  of  God,  cor- 
refponding to  all  the  Aiimal-Sacrifices,  To 
Him  all  thofe  Material  and  "Typical  Services 
pointed,  by  Him  they  were  fulfilled,  and  in 
Him  they  expired.  He  was  both  the  Beginning 
and  the  Fnd  of  all  thofe  Ordinances  :  He  ef- 
tabliih'd  them  at  the  firft,  to  give  Notice  of  his 
coming  ;  and  by  his  coming  He  removed 
them,  and  took  them  away,  when  He  took 
away  our  Sins^  nailing  them  to  his  Crofs  ^. 

P  4  The 

a  Coloff.  ii.  14., 


232  Christ's  Sacrifice 

The  Text  lays,  Christ  gave  Himfelf ; 
That  Word  Himjclf\  may  want  feme  Expla- 
nation. His  Jerjbniz  conllituted  of  two  Na- 
tuf  eiy  the  D'^'it:-'^  and  Human  :  He  is  in  Him- 
felf  both  God  and  Man,  The  P7'ieji  who 
made  the  Sacriik:e,  is  the  whole  Perfon  :  The 
Sacrifice^  That  Self  in  part  only ;  for  the  Di- 
vhie  Nature  could  not  jiiffer^  nor  be  made  a 
Sacrifice ;  only  It  mighty  and  did  give  Value 
^nd  Dignity  to  the  Hu?nan  Nature^  which 
alofie  was,  in  Stri(5tnefs,  The  Sacrifice.  Giving 
Himfielf  therefore,  muft  be  underiiood  to 
mean,  giving  Himfelf  in  Part.  For  as  a  Mar- 
tyr^ who  gives  his  Body  only  (not  his  Sotd)  to 
be  burned,  is  rightly  faid  to  give  Himfelf  to 
the  Flames,  becaufe  He  gives  what  is  Fart  of 
Himfielfiy  fo  alfo  our  Bkjjed  Lord^  in  facrificing 
his  Human  Nature,  a  Part  oi Himfelf\  is  rightly 
faid  to  have  facrificed  Himfielfi.  This  Sacrifice 
is  variouily  exprellcd  in  Holy  Scripture  :  For, 
lometimes  it  is  called  giving  his  Body^  fonie- 
times  his  Bloody  fometimes  his  Soul^  fometimes 
bis  Life  for  Us  :  Ail  which  Expreflions  amount 
to  the  fame  Thing,  namely,  that  He  died  for 
Us,  died  in  our  Stead,  a  willing  Sacrifice  for 
the  Sins  of  the  whole  World.  And  yet  None 
of  thofe  Expreffions,  however  well  they  are 
adapted  to  the  cuftomary  Forms  of  Speech, 

ftre^ 


I 

I 


of  Himfelf  explained.        233 

are,  in  Stridnefs  of  Propriety,  to  be  compared 
with  St.  Paul's  Saying,  that  He  was  obedient 
wito  Death  ^.     For,  in  Truth  of  Notion  and 
precife  Accuracy  of  Expreffion,    It   was  his 
Obedience  ad;ive  and   paffive,  which  was  pro- 
perly the  Sacrifice^  the  acceptable  Offering  unto 
God.     God  is  a  Spirit^  and  the  Jpiritual  Ser- 
vices are  properly  his  Delight.     PerfeSl  Inno- 
cence^ and  confummate  Virtue^  both  in  doing  and 
Sufferings  were,  in   Stridnefs  of  Speech,  not 
only  the  Flower  and  Perfeiftion,  but  the  very 
Form  and  Effence  of  our  Lord's  Sacrifice.  There 
was  found  in  That  unfathomable  Myflery  of 
Divine  Love,  in  our  Lord's  dying   for  us  ; 
there  was  found,   I  fay,  not  only  fpotlefs  Ho- 
Hnefs  and  Purity,  but  a  moft  upright  Heart, 
and   the  moft  devout  AfFedions,    breathing 
Nothing  but  the  mofl:  ardent  Affedlions  and 
Services  for  the  Glory  of  God^  and  the  Salva- 
tion of  Men ;    for  the  general  Happinefs,  if  I 
may  fo  fpeak,  of  the  whole  Rational  Syftem. 
Thofe  Benevolent  Services  taken  together,  and 
Ail  recommended  by  ths-  fiiper-eminent  Dignity 
of  the  Perfon  fo  doing,  -^nd.  {o  fiffering,  were 
the  Sacrifice  of  fweet  Odour ^  the  fpiritual  Per- 
.  fume,    acceptable  to  Him  who   alone  could 
judge  perfedly  of  the  infinite  Worth  and  Merit 
of  it. -^ So  much  for  the  Sacrifice, 

3.  The 

a  Phn.  ii.  8. 


234  Christ's  Sacrifice 

3 .  The  T^hird  Thing  to  be  confidered  is  the 
Altar.  Prieft  Sacrifice  and  Altar  have 
commonly  been  thought  Relatives,  fuppofed 
to  infer,  and  imply  each  other  :  Tho'  That  is 
not  lln<ftly  and  univerfally  true  ;  as  might  be 
fliewn  at  large,  were  This  the  Place  for  it,  or 
were  ir  at  all  proper  to  enter  here  into  Niceties 
of  That  Kind. 

In  This  Cafe  however.  Divines  both  An- 
cient and  Modern  have  thought  of  an  Altar y 
as  well  as  of  a  Friejl,  and  of  a  Sacrifice  :  And 
from  the  Tbird  Century  at  leaft,  down  to  This 
Time,  The  Crofs  whereon  our  Lord  fuifered, 
has  been  o^enerally  efteemed,  and  called  the 
Altar.  For,  as  the  "Jewifi  Sacrifices  were 
lifted  up  upon  the  Altar  erected  for  that  pur- 
pofe,  fo  v/as  the  Son  of  Man  lifted  up  by  the 
Crofs^.  And  as  the  Altar  among  the  yeiis 
was  ufed  to  bear  or  fuftain  the  Sacrifice^  fo  the 
Altar  of  the  Crojs  bore  or  fujlained  our  Lord's 
Humanity,  while  Himfelf  bare  our  Sins  in  his 
own  Body  on  the  Tree  b. 

Thus  far  the  Rejhnhlance  and  Analogy  be- 
tween the  Levitical  Altar  and  the  Altar  of  the 
Crofs,  feem  to  hold  very  aptly  j  and  to  Thefe 
two  Circumftances  of  the  Comparifon,  there 
might  be  others  added  of  inferior  Note.    Ne- 

verthelefs^ 

a  John  Hi.  14,   xil  32.  ^  i  Pet.  ii.  z\. 


of  Him/elf  explained.        235 

verthelefs,  Similitudes  fliould  not  be  ftrain'd 
too  far  :  Becaufe,  tho'  they  may  hit  in  feve- 
ral  Circumftances,  yet  will  They  not  be  found 
to  anfwer  in  All. 

One  Circumftance  of  an  Altar  is,  that  it 
fanBiJies  the  Gift,  or  Sacrifice  offered  upon 
it  a.  This  Circumflance  cannot  properly  be 
applied  to  the  Altar  of  the  Crofs,  2.^  faiiBifybig 
the  Great  Sacrifice,  Wherefore  Some  very 
Judicious  Divines  have  here  thought  oi  Another 
Altar,  befides  the  Crofs,  a  fpititual  Altar  ; 
namely,  the  Eternal  Spirit,  the  Divine  Nature 
of  our  Lord,  which  in  this  Cafe  J'anBified 
the  Human,  It  is  faid  in  the  Epiftle  to  the* 
Hebrews  t>,  that  Christ  thro  the  eternal  Spirit 
offered  Himfelf  without  Spot  to  God.  In  This 
View  Christ  was  the  Brief ,  his  Human 
Nature  the  Sacrifice,  and  his  Divine  Nature 
the  Altar  which  fanBifed  the  Sacrifice,  which 
fupported  it  under  all  Sufferings,  and  under  the 
Weight  of  the  World's  Iniquities  laid  upon  it, 
and  finally  added  infinite  Value  and  Dignity 
to  it.  So  then,  the  Crofs  might  be  the  Altar 
in  fome  Refpeds,  and  our  Lord's  own  Eter-- 
nal  Spirit  might  be  the  Altar  in  others. 

But  after  all.  It  muft  be  owned  that  Scrips 
tiire  is  not  clear  either  for  This  Kind  of  Altar ^ 

or 

a  Matt  xxiii.  19.  ^  Heb.ix,  14.. 


236  Christ's  Sacrifice 

or  That,      The   Doctrine   of  the  Sacrifice  is 
plainly  Scripture-Doctrine  :   But  the  Doctrine 
of  the  j4ltar  ftands  only  upon  Scriptiire-Co?i- 
feqiiences^  drawn  by  Interpreters,  and  not  per- 
haps with  fuch  Evidence  as  niufl  extort  the 
AfTent  of  every  reafonable  Man.     What  need 
is  there  of  a  proper  Altar  to  every  proper  Sa^ 
crifice  ?    The   Notion   of  a  Sacrifice,    which 
means  a   Gift  to  God,  is  independent  of  the 
Notion  of  an  Altar  to  prefent  it  upon.     It  was 
accidental  to  the  Jewijb  Sacrifices  that  they 
required  Altars,  becaufe  they  were  generally 
to  be  confumed  by  Fire,  in  whole  or  in  part^ 
and  therefore  wanted  2.  Fire-IIeartb  for  that 
Purpofe  :    And  it  is  far  from  certain  that  all 
proper  Sacrifices  were  ofFer'd  upon  Altars,    An 
Altar  feems  to  be  no  more  necejjary  to  e-very 
Sacrifice,  than  a  Cafie,  or  a  Patine,  or  a  Fix 
is  to  every  Gifit  or  Prejent  which  any  Perfon 
may  bring  to  Another.     It  is  a  Circumfiance 
perhaps   of  Decency,  not  of  the  Subfiance  of 
the  Prefent.     A  Gift  is  not  the  lefs  a  Gift  for 
being  prefented  naked  and    fimple,  without 
the  Formalities  of  a  Cafe  to  inclofe  it,  or  of 
a  Plate  to  offer  it  upon.     In  a  word  then^  the 
•  Sacrifice  of  C  h  r  i  st  is  an  undoubted  Scripture- 
Truth  :  But  as  to  a  proper  Altar  for  That  S.v- 
tiifice,  it  is  a  more  difputable  Point  j  about 

which 


of  Himfelf  explained.        237 

which  very  wife  and  good  Men  may  be  al- 
lowed to  think  very  differently,  or  to  judge 
as  They  fee  Caufe. 

4.  The  Fourth  Article  to  be  confidered  is 
the  fupreme  Law-giver,  to  Whom  the  Sa- 
crifice  of  the  Crofs  was  made,  and  by  Whom 
it  was  gracioufly  accepted.  Qod  the  Father, 
without  Difpute,  as  Firji  Per/on  in  the  God- 
head, is  Law-giver  in  chiefs  and  to  Him  our 
BlefTed  Lord  paid  the  Price  of  our  Redempti- 
on, the  Sacrifce  of  Himfelf. 

If  it  be  alk'd,  what  Need  there  was  of  any 
Sacrifice  to  a  Perfon  fo  benign,  and  fo  merci- 
fully difpofed  to  pardon  All  repenting  Sinners ; 
I  fay,  if  this  were  afk'd,  it  might  be  fuffici- 
ent  to  reply  that  We  knov/  the  FaB  :  God 
did  require  a  Sacrifice y  and  fucb  a  Sacrifice ; 
and  He  knows  what  Need  there  was  for  it. 
However,  without  pretending  to  fathom  the 
Divine  Counfels,  or  to  underhand  all  the  Rea^ 
fons  of  State  J  by  which  an  All- wife  Governor 
proceeds,  We  may  prefume  to  obferve  that 
Two  Special  Articles,  the  Glory  of  God -s^vA  the 
Felicity  of  Man  have  been  admirably  ferved  by 
This  myfterious  Difpenfation. 

It  is  for  the  Glory  of  God,  that  He  is  feen 
not  to  connive  at  Offences,  nor  to  be  too  in- 
dulgent towards  Sin,  while  He  requires  a  ija^ 
2  luable 


238  Christ's  Sacrifice 

luahle  Satisfacfion  for  Offences  committed.  His 
yujlice,  his  Holinefs  and  unfpotted  Purity  are 
hereby  glorified  before  Men  and  Angels,  and 
the  Honour  of  his  Laws  fupported  in  the  Face 
of  the  whole  World. 

On  the  other  Hand,  Man's  eternal  Felicit'i 
appears  to  be  beft  fecured  by  the  fame  Means, 
becaufe  hereby  Provifion  is  made  to  keep  Him 
the  more  Humble  and  modeft  to  all  Eternity. 
Tride  is  reafonably  fuppofed  to  have  been  the 
Sin  of  Lucifer^  which  Heaven  it  felf,  and  even 
the  Pre  fence  of  God  did  not  keep  Him  from. 
The  more  exalted  his  Privileges  were,  the 
greater  was  his  Danger,  and  the  furer  his 
Dov/nfall.  God  has  taken  Care  that  Man- 
kind fhall  have  lefs  Occafion  to  affume^  or  to 
grow  High-minded.  Their  Salvation  fhall  ftand 
entirely  in  the  Merits  of  Another  Perjbn^  not 
at  all  in  their  Ckvn  :  And  as  often  as  They 
hope  to  be  accepted  in  God's  Sight,  it  mufl:  not 
be  with  Robes  of  their  own  cleanling  (full  of 
Spots  and  Stains  at  the  befl)  but  with  Robes 
tnade  ichitc  in  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb  \  This 
may  be  to  Them  for  ever  a  conftant  Leflbn  of 
Humility^  Which  is  the  Mother  of  all  Virtue, 
and  a  fare  Foundation  of  all  Happinefs,  fecu- 
ring  Them  from  the  Temptation  which  even 

^ngels 

a  Revel,  vii.  14. 


cf  Hmfelf  explained.        239 

Angeh  before  lay  under,  and  which  at  length 
turn'd  Them  out  of  Heaven,  fince  referred 
in  everlajiing  Chains  under  Darhiefs^  imto  the 
'Judgment  of  the  Great  Day ''. 

Seeing  then  that  the  Glory  of  God,  and  the 
Felicity  of  Man,  appear  to  have  been  thus  moft 
€ffed:ually  provided  for  by  the  Sacrifice  of 
C  H  R I  s  T  3  no  Wonder  if  That  Sacrifice  has 
a  very  fweet-fmellifjg  Savour^  or  is  received  as 
the  moft  delightful  Perfume  by  Him  whofe 
Goodnefs  is  infinite,  and  whofe  Mercies  bound- 
lefs ;  and,  Who  having  no  Interefls  of  his  Own 
to  ferve,  takes  Pleafure  in  every  Thing  where- 
by his  Creatures  may  be  made  to  come  near 
Him,  and  be  rendred  happy  in  the  Enjoyment 
of  Him. 

Having  thus  run  thro'  the  do5lrinal  Part  of 
the  Text,  I  come  next  to  the  praEiical  Con- 
elufion  drawn  from  it,  drawn  by  the  Apoflle 
in  the  Text  it  felf. 

n. 

Be  ye  therefore  Followers  of  God  as  dear  Chil- 
dren [of  God]  and  walk  in  Love,  that  is,  in 
Love  of  the  Brethren,  If  our  BleiTed  Lord 
condefcended  to  make  a  Sacrifice  of  Himfelf  to 
God  for  the  general  Good  of  Mankind  j  We 

ought 

*  Jude  6» 


240  Christ's  Sacrifice 

ought  likewife  to  make  the  like  Tender  of 
eur  Selves^  our  Hearts  Wills  and  Affe6lionS, 
and  all  our  Services,  to  the  fame  God,  and 
on  the  fame  Account,  namely,  for  the  gene- 
ral Good  of  All  our  Brethren.     Such  a  Tender 
as  I  now  fpeak  of,  is  That  Sacrifice  which  the 
Gojpel  every  where  points  out  to  Us,  and  which 
God  expedls  of  Us  ;  to  facrifice  the  Old  Man, 
with  the  Affe5iio?is  and  Lujis,  and  to  put  on 
the  New  Man,  devoting  Our  Selves  wholly  to 
the  Glory  of  God,    and  the  Happinefs  of  our 
Fellow-Creatures.     In  This  refpecSt,  all  Chrijii- 
iins  are  reprefented  in  the  New  Teftament  as 
making  one  Holy  Prie/ihood  (faving  to  God's 
commiffion'd  Officers  Their  peculiar  Preliden- 
cy  in  it)  to  offer  up  fpiritual  Sacrifices  accept- 
able to  God  by  Jesus  Christ  ».     Thofe  fpi^ 
ritual  Sacrifices  are  reducible  to  two  Heads,  to 
the  two  great  Commandments,  the  Love  of 
God,  and  the  Love  of  our  Neighbour.     To  the 
Firfi  Head  belongs  the   Sacrifice  of  Prayer, 
which  is   the   Gofpel  Incenfe  ^  -,   as   alfo   the 
Sacrifice  of  Praije,  which  St.  Paul  exhorts 
us  to  offer  up  continually  ^.     To  the  Second  Head 
belongs  the  Sacrifice  ol  Alms-deeds,  and  of  all 
other  friendly  Offices  towards  One  Another. 
To  do  good  and  to  commwiicate,  forget  not ;  for 

with 

a  I  Pet.ii.  5.    ^  Re%'el.T.  8.  viii.  3,  4,     «  Heb.xlii.  15. 


of  Himfelf  explained.        241 

moith  fuch  Sacrifices  God  is  well  pleafed^.  There 
are  other  fpiritiial  Sacrifices  recommended  in 
the  New  Teftament,  which  are  expreffive  of 
the  Lo've  of  God  and  of  Man,  Both  in  One  : 
As  the  Sacrifice  of  an  humble  and  contrite 
Heart  ^,  and  the  prefenting  our  Bodies  a  Li- 
ving Sacrifice  holy,  acceptable  unto  God^.  We 
cannot  do  greater  Honour  to  our  Lord's  Sacri" 
Jice,  than  by  thus  copying  after  it  in  the  beft 
Manner  We  are  able  ;  and  following  it  (tho* 
at  an  infinite  Diftance)  in  our  own  religious 
Offerings  and  Sacrifices,  fuch  as  I  have  been 
mentioning.  Be  We  thus  Followers  of  God,  as 
dear  Children  of  God,  and  true  Difciples  of 
Christ. 

But  more  particularly,  as  often  as  We  come 
to  commemorate  our  Lord's  High  Sacrifice  at 
his  Holy  Table,  be  We  mindful  to  make  a 
lender  of  our  Selves  to  Him,  as  He  made  a  Ten-^ 
der  of  Himfelf  to  God.  While  We  plead  the 
Merits  of  That  Sacrifice  in  our  Offices  here  be- 
low (which  He  alfo  pleads  in  his  Interceflions 
on  our  behalf  above)  let  us  throw  in  our  own 
fecondary  Sacrifices  to  it ;  not  to  heighten  the 
Value  of  it,  which  already  is  infinite,  but  to 
render  our  Selves  capable  of  the  Benefits  of  it. 
As  there  is  Merit  fufficient  on  His  Part,  fo 

Vol.  IL  Q_  there 

f  Heb.  xiii.  16.        ^  Pfal.  li.  17.        <  Rom.  xii.  \, 


242  Christ's  Sacrifice 

there  mufl  be  competent  Salifications  on 
Ours  :  While  Christ,  by  the  vifible  Signs  of 
Bread  and  IFiiie^  conveys  to  Us  the  Fruits  of 
his  natural  Body  and  Blood ;  fo  ought  We,  by 
the  fame  Signs,  to  prefent  to  Him  the  myfiical 
Body^  whereof  We  are  a  Part.  By  the  L^i;/- 
tical  LaWy  there  was  to  be  a  Meat-Offering 
and  a  Drink-Offering  thrown  upon  the  Lamb 
in  the  daily  Service,  and  Both  together  were 
reputed  but  as  One  and  the  fame  Sacrifice,  The 
Lamb,  without  Queftion,  fignified  Christ 
and  his  Sacrifice  :  And  why  fliould  not  thofe 
fecondary  Oblations  thrown  upon  the  Lamb^ 
be  fuppofed  to  fignify  or  prefigure  the  feconda^ 
ry  Sacrifices,  or  Services  of  Chrifiians,  thrown,  as 
it  were,  upon  C  h  r  i  s  t's  Sacrifice,  to  ftrengthen 
our  Claim  to  it,  and  to  fix  our  Intereft  in  it  ? 
Therefore,  while  our  Lord's  Sacrifice  is  repre- 
fented  and  pleaded  before  God  on  Our  Be- 
half, in  the  Holy  Qjuimunion ;  take  We  Care 
to  fend  up  our  devout  Prayers  and  Praifies,  our 
Humble  Minds  and  Contrite  Hearts,  our  ^mfi- 
deeds,  and  our  Forgivenefi'es  of  All  who  have 
offended  Us,  our  holy  Refolutions  and  Pious 
Vov:s ;  and  in  a  Word,  Our  Selves,  our  Souls 
^nd  Bodies,  to  be  a  reafonable,  holy^  and  lively 
Sccrifiice  unto  God.  So  may  the  Sacrifice  of 
Christ  commemorated ^  and  our  own  Sacrifices 

therewith 


of  Himfelf  explained.         243 

therewith  prefenfed^  be  confidered  as  0?te  Sa- 
crifice of  the  Head  and  Members,  in  Union 
together  :  And  io  may  the  united  Offering  be 
received  above ^  as  an  Offering  and  a  Sacrifice  to 
God  of  a  fweet-fjnelling  Savour  -,  acceptable  un- 
to Him,  thro'  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  : 
To  Whom,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  be  all  Honour,  and  Glory  henceforth 
for  evermore.     Amen, 


Vol.  II. 


Q_2 


SERMON 


SERMON   XIII. 

The  Hiftory  and  Character  of  Balaam. 


Numb.  xxii.   lo,   ii,   12. 

And  Balaam  /aid  unto  God^  Balak  the 
Son  of  Zippor^  King  of  Moaby  hath 

fent  u?2to  Me  faying^ 

Behold^  there  is  a  People  come  out  of  E- 
gfpt'i  which  cover eth  the  Face  of  the 
Earth  :  Come  ?tow^  curfe  Me  Them  \ 
per  adventure  I  fhall  he  able  to  over- 
come iChem^  and  drive  T'hem  out. 

And  God  J  aid  unto  Balaajn^  Thou  fhalt 
not  go  with  Them-,  Thou  floalt  not  curfe, 
the  People  :  For  They  are  blejjed. 

^&W^^^^  H  E  Story  of  Balaam  fills  up 
fM:^^^^^^  three  whole  Chapters  in  this 
^  >^1  r  [^0,  Book  of  Numbers ;  and  it  is  fre- 
§|'y':^S5^6§  quently  referred  to  in  feveral 
ESte^^  other  Places,  both  of  the  Old 
and  New  Teflament.  Seeing  then  that  It  makes 

0^3  ^^ 


246     I'h  Htjlory  and  CharaEier 

fo  confiderable  a  Figure  in  the  Sacred  Hijiory^ 
(though  It  comes  in  but  occafionally)  I  have 
thought  it  may  well  deferve  a  diftincft  Con- 
fideration ;  and  do  therefore  chufe  it  for  the 
Subjecft  of  our  prefent  Meditations. 

The  Ifraelites,  in  their  PalTage  through  the 
Wildernefs,  were  to  march  through  the  Land 
of  the  Moabites,  a  People  defcended  of  Lot, 
and  over  Whom  Balak  was  King  at  that 
Time.  The  Moabites,  Anwionites^  and  Midian- 
ites,  near  Neighbours,  were  All  alarmed  at  the 
March  of  the  IJraelites,  and  were  afraid  of 
Them ;  knowing  what  great  Things  God  had 
fo  lately  done  for  Them  ;  and  that  neither 
Si  HON  King  of  the  Amorites^  norOo  the  King 
of  Bafan  had  been  able  to  ftand  before  Them. 
The  IJraelites  had  entirely  routed  and  ruin'd 
Thofe  two  potent  Princes,  taking  Pofleffion 
of  Their  Lands :  And  They  had  done  it  with 
fuch  Difpatch,  and  in  fo  furprizing  a  Manner, 
that  the  Nations  round  about  had  Reafon  to 
fufpedl  that  there  was  Something  very  extra- 
ordinary and  Jiipematiiral  in  it.  It  feems  to 
liave  been  owing  to  fome  fiich  Apprehen/iojt 
lus  This,  that  None  of  Them  durft  oppofe  the 
Hebrews,  without  endeavourins:  firft  to  ens-aze 
Heaven  on  Their  Side,  which  They  hoped  to 
do  by  the  help  of  Inchantments. 

There 


(t/^  Balaam.  247 

There  was  a  Famous  Magician^  or  Praphefy 
of  that  Time,  whofe  Name  was  Balaam, 
mightily  celebrated  through  all  the  Eaft :  Him 
They  refolved  to  court  with  high  Promifes, 
and,  if  poffible,  to  bribe  Him  over  to  Their  In- 
terefts  in  this  Exigency.  The  Notion  They 
had  of  Him  was,  that  He  was  fo  Divine  a  Man, 
fo  highly  favoured  by  Heaven,  that  He  could 
turn  the  Faie-of  War  which  Way  He  pleafed, 
b}/  his  BenediSfions  and  Imprecations :  For  thus 
faid  Balak  in  his  MeiTage  to  Him:  /  wot 
that  He  Whom  Thou  blejjeji^  is  blejj'ed-,  and  He 
Whom  Thou  curfejl^  is  curfed^.  The  Midianites, 
and  Moabites  were  Both, of  Them  full  of  the 
fame  Perfualion,  as  We  learn  from  this  Chap- 
ter :  And  We  find  from  other  Places  of  Scrip- 
ture  b,  that  the  Ammonites  join'd  with  Them 
in  the  Defign  of  fending  to  Balaam.  Dif- 
patches  were  order'd  to  Him,  deiiring  Him  to 
come  and  take  a  Survey  of  the  Camp  of  Ifrael, 
and  to  curfe  Them  in  folemn  Form,  in  Order 
to  their  Deftrucflion. 

It  may  look  a  little  ftrange,  that  They  fliould 
trull:  fo  little  to  their  own  Gods  at  Home,  and 
fliould  fend  as  far  as  Mejbpotamia  for  a  Prophet 
toaliiflThem.  Certainly,  Balaam's  Repu- 
tation muft  have  run  very  high  3  or  there  mufl 
0^4  have 

*  Numb.  xxii.  6.  "^  Deut.  xxlii.  3,  4. 


248     ^hc  Hiftory  and  CharaBer 

have  been  fome  very  peculiar  Reafon  for  that 
uncommon  Method  of  proceeding.  Perhaps 
They  imagined,  that  the  Gods  of  Their  own 
Country  were  not  able  to  defend  Them  againft 
the  God  of  TJrael;  having  fo  lately  feen  what 
the  Ifraelites  had  done  to  the  Amorites  Their 
Neighbours  :  Or  They  might  fancy  that  Ba- 
laam had  an  Intereft  with  all  Kinds  of  Gods, 
and  might  ingage  Them  All  to  come  in  to  Their 
Afliftance :  Or  rather,  I  incline  to  think  that 
They  knew  Balaam  to  be  a  Prophet  of  the 
fame  God  which  the  Ifraelites  worfhipp'd  j  and 
that  therefore  by  His  Means  They  hoped  to 
draw  oft  the  God  of  Ifrael  (Whom  They  were 
fo  much  afraid  of )  from  affiiling  the  Ifraelites^ 
and  to  incline  Him  to  favour  the  Moabites, 
and  Thofe  who  were  join'd  with  Them. 

The  Learned  are  not  perfedly  agreed  as  to 
Bala  am' J  Charadler^  whether  to  call  Him  a 
Magician  J  or  a  Prophet :  But  it  is  very  evident 
that  He  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Name 
of  the  Godof  Ijraely  and  that  He  applied  Him-' 
felf  to  Hiniy  and  to  Him  only  in  that  Affair. 
For,  when  the  Elders  of  Moab  and  Midian 
came  firfl:  to  Him,  He  delired  Them  to  lodge 
with  Him  that  Night,  promifing  Them  to 
bring  Them  Word  in  the  Morning,  what  The 
lj)rd[\\\^x  is,  what  Jehovah  the  God  of  Ifrael) 

iliould 


^Balaam.  249 

iliouldfay  toHim,in  Relation  to  Their  Errand'': 
Which  accordingly  He  did  -,  and  the  AnJ'wer 
He  brought  was  What  Jehovah  the  God  of 
Ifrael  had  really  put  into  his  Mouth.  This 
Circumftance  plainly  fhews  that  He  had  been 
ufed  toconfult  the  'True  Godm  former  Times : 
For  otherwife.  He  could  never  have  pretended 
now  to  promife  before  hand  to  briiig  an  Anfwer 
from  Him, or  to  know  for  certain  that  it  was  His* 
There  is  no  Abfurdity  in  fuppoling  that  God 
might  have  fome  Prophets  (abroad  in  the  Hea~ 
then  World)  who  were  not  of  Ifrael,  Job 
was  undoubtedly  fuch  an  One :  And  why  might 
not  Balaam  be  Another?  It  is. the  more 
likely,  becaufe,  from  the  Time  of  Abraham,, 
God  had  fpread  the  Knowledge  of  Himfelf 
about  the  idolatrous  World  :  And  all  Aera- 
ham'j  P^m/y  were  oi-iginally  circumcifed,and 
became  Worfhippers  of  the  true  God;  tho'^ 
in  Procefs  of  Time,  They  revolted^  and  fell  into 
Idolatry.  The  Moabites  and  Ammonites^  Whom 
We  are  now  fpeaking  of,  were  of  difiinSi  Con- 
iideration  from  the  Reft  of  the  Heathen  Worlds 
being  the  Defce72da?2ts  of  righteous  Lot,  Who 
was  of  the  fame  Religio?i  with  Abraham,. 
The  Midiaiiites  too,  of  Whom  moil  probably 
Balaam  was,  were  the  Poflerity  of  Abra- 
ham, 

a  Numb.  xxii.  8» 


250     The  Hijlory  and  CharaEier 

HAM,  by  Keturah  ;  and  Who  therefore 
certainly  had,  for  fome  Time,  the  Knowledge 
of  the  true  Go^amongfl  Them ;  Which  makes 
it  the  more  probable  that  God  might  plant 
fome  Prophets  amongft  Them  in  thofe  early 
Days,  to  preferve  That  true  Religion  and  JVor^ 
jJnp  Which  They  had  received  from  their  Pro* 
genitors. 

Upon  the  Whole  then,  I  take  the  Liberty 
to  conclude,  that  Balaam  was  really  a  Pro- 
phet ;  and  fo  He  is  called  by  St.  P  e  t  e  r  ». 
And  as  He  had  an  Intereft  and  Correfpondence 
with  the  true  God,  fo  the  Meaning  of  the 
Moahites  really  w^as,  that  He  fliould  come  and 
endeavour  to  draw  off  the  God  of  Ifrael  from 
affifting  the  Hebrews.  He  did  make  the  At- 
tempt (being  hired  and  bribed  fo  to  do)  and 
without  Eitecl.  Accordingly  it  is  obferved  in 
Deuteronomy,  that  the  Lord  would  not  hearken  un- 
to Bal  A  AM  b.  And  God  Himfelf  fays  by  the 
Mouth  of  Joshua  to  the  fame  Ptirpofe,  Ba- 
la k  J  cut  cmd  called  Balaam  the  Son  o/'  B  e  o  r 
to  curfe  you,  hut  I  would  not  hearken  unto  Ba- 
laam, therefore  He  blejjed  you  Jlilh.  Thefe 
Confiderations  fhew  that  Balaam  had  ad- 
drefs'd  Himfelf  to  the  God  of  Ifrael,  in  Hopes 
to  have  his  Licenfe  and  Authority  for  curfing 

the 

a  2  Pet.  ii.  16.         "  Deut.  xxiii.  5.        ^  Jolh.  xxiv.  10. 


^Balaam.  251 

the  Ifraelites.  From  whence  We  may  reafon- 
ably  infer,  that  Balaam  had  been  his  Pro- 
phet fome  Time  before,  and  that,  in  Confidence 
of  fuch  his  high  Relation  to  God,  He  prefumed 
to  confult  Him  once  and  again  upon  That  Oc- 
cafion.  Having  thus  far  cleared  our  Way, 
We  may  now  proceed, 

I.  To  conlider  more  diflindily  the  Hijiory  of 
Balaam,  as  laid  down  in  Scripture. 

II.  To  make  fome  Refledions  upon  it. 

I. 

The  iirft  Mention  which  we  have  of  this 
Man  is  in  this  Chapter  of  the  Book  of  Num- 
bers. The  Occaiion  of  his  being  concerned  with 
the  Children  of  Ijrael  has  been  already  inti- 
mated. Next,  let  Us  obferve  How  he  be- 
haved Himfelf  upon  That  Occaiion,  What  the 
Effedt  was,  and  what  became  of  Him  in  the 
End. 

To  do  Him  Juftice,  He  behaved  Himfelf 
extremely  well  when  the  Meffage  was  firfl 
brought  Him  from  King  Balak.  He  con- 
fulted  God  upon  the  Matter  laid  before  Him, 
made  a  faithful  Keport  of  the  Krrand  which 
the  Embafladors  came  upon,  received  God's 

Anfwer 


252     The  Htjlory  and  CharaEier 

Anfwer,  and  fubmitted  to  it  j  acquainting  the 
MdTengers  that  God  would  not  give  Him  leave  to 
curfe  'That  People  -,  no,  nor  fo  much  as  to  go 
along  with  the  Embafjadors,  Thus  far  He  car- 
ried Himfelf  well  and  wifely^  Hke  an  Honejiy 
Fions,  Upright  Man.  But  afterwards  came 
Other  MefTengers,  more  in  Number,  and 
greater  in  Dignity  than  the  Former :  And 
They  prefs*d  Him  vehemently  to  comply  with 
Balak's  Requefl;  promilihg  Him  rich  Pre- 
fents,  and  honourable  Prefermefits,  in  a  Word, 
any  Thing,  or  every  Thing  which  Hfe  could  afk 
or  defire.  To  This  again  He  made  Anfwer, 
that,  ?/  Bal  A  K  would  give  Him  his  Houfefull  of 
Silver  and  Gold,  yet  He  cotdd  not  go  beyond  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  his  God"".  This  was  well  faid, 
and  was  the  plain  Truth.  And  here  by  the 
Way  obferve,  that  Balaam,  in  thefe  Words, 
profe(jes  his  Attachment  to  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
as  his  God :  Which  is  a  farther  Confirmation 
of  What  I  before  hinted,  that  He  was  really 
a  Prophet  of  the  true  God, 

But  to  proceed :  After  This,  whether  pre- 
vail'd  upon  by  Importunity,  or  foften'd  too 
much  by  the  Charms  of  Honour  and  Riches 
(which  dazled  his  Eyes)  the  good  Man  began 
to  llagger  5  and  He  yielded  fo  far  as  to  con- 

fult 

*  Numb.  xxil.  18. 


of  Balaam.  253 

fult  God  again  upon  the  fame  Thing,  tho'  He 
had  before  had  an  abfolute^  and  peremptory  De- 
nial :  This  was  hisjirjl  falfe  Step ;  for  it  was 
tempting  God,  and  making  too  free  with  the  Di- 
*uine  Majefty,  forgetting  both  his  Duty  and 
Diftance.  God  then  gave  the  Man  Leave  to 
go  with  the  Princes-,  but  in  fuch  a  Manner, 
as  might  have  made  Him  fenfible  that  it  haci 
been  better  if  He  had  not  ajk'd  it ;  and  that  his 
going  would  be  to  no  Purpofe,  iince  He  fliould 
ilill  be  rejirain  d  ivoxn  curjing  the  People ;  v/hich 
was  What  He  went  for,  and  was  the  fole  End 
and  pefign  of  the  Princes  who  came  to  call 
Him.  Balaam  however,  having  already  fet 
his  Heart  too  much  upon  the  Bribes,  readily 
accepted  of  the  Concejjion  made  Him  ;  and  that 
very  Morning  He  fet  out  on  his  Journey  with 
the  Princes  of  Moab.  God  was  angry  with 
Him  for  being  fo  forward  in  this  Matter, 
Which  He  might  more  wifely  have  declined^ 
tho  'Leave  was  given  Him :  And  belides,  Ba- 
LAAM  conceived  Hopes  that  He  might  at 
Length  have  Permifjion  to  curfe  the  Children  of 
Ifrael:  Otherwife  It  was  a  wild  Undertaking 
to  pretend  to  go  at  all.  God  feeing  the  Tem- 
per of  the  Man,  and  What  He  had  in  his 
Heart,  fent  an  Angel  to  flop  Him  in  the  Way, 
and  to  deter  Him  eife^ftually  from  his  Purpofe,, 


254     T^^  Hijlory  and  CharaSier 

He  loved  the  Wages  of  Unrighteoujhefs^  as  St.  Pe- 
te r  obferves,  and  was  rebuked  for  his  Ini- 
quity ;  the  dumb  Afs  fpeaking  with  Maris  Voice ^ 
forbad  the  Madnefs  of  the  Prophet  ^.  The  Hif- 
tory  of  that  Prodigy  is  related  at  large  in  the 
Book  of  Numbers^  and  is  a  Matter  well  known. 

Some  have  been  of  Opinion  (with  Mai- 
MON I D  E  s  the  famous  few)  that  the  whole  Story 
of  Balaam  and  the  Afs  was  a  Vifon  only^  or 
a  Dream  ^  and  Iran  failed  meerly  in  Idea.  But 
there  is  Nothing  in  the  Text  of  Moses  to 
countenance  fuch  a  Perfuafion  j  nor  are  the 
ReafonSj  fuggefled  for  this  Opinion,  of  weight 
fufficient  to  perfuade  Us  to  lay  afide  the  plain 
literal  Conftrudiion, 

It  is  with  better  Colour  that  Others,  admit- 
ting the  literal Co?tftru5tion^h^\Q  further  thought 
that  the  whole  Affair  v^o.^  fymbolical^  and  might 
admit  of  a  myfiical^  as  well  as  a  literal  Interpre- 
tation J  tho'  This  alfo  is  no  more  than  Conjec- 
ture. But  They  who  take  this  Way,  fuppofe 
that  the  Bead  vv^hich  the  Prophet  rode  upon, 
might  be  an  Emblem  of  Balaam  fpurr'd  on 
by  Balak  his  Mailer.  The  Afs  faw  the 
Danger  by  the  Way,  and  made  fome  Efforts 
to  avoid  it,  while  the  Rider  was  perfedly  blind: 
And  in  like  Manner  the  Prophet  had  feen  that 
God  was  agaifif  the  Defign^  and  He  mdide  fome 

Efforts, 

'  2  Pet.  ii.  1 6. 


^ 


of  Balaam,  2^15 

Efforts  to  turn  afide  from  it ;  but  was  flill  ve- 
hemently prefs'd  on,  and  pufli'd  forwards  by 
K.  Balak.  I  forbear  to  mention  other  re- 
fembling  Circumftances,  which  have  afforded 
Reafon  for  fuppofmg  that  the  Whole  was  em- 
blematkal^  and  intended  for  Balaam's  In- 
ftrudion,  that  He  might  fee  his  Folly  and 
retreat  in  Time. 

But  He  went  on  -,  and  God  permitted  Him 
now  to  proceed  (according  to  his  own  Devices) 
to  reap  the  Fruits  of  his  Ambition  .-and  Ava- 
rice ;  only  taking  care  all  the  Time,  that  He 
fhould  not  drop  the  leail:  Curje  upon  the  IfraeU 
ites ;  but  fhould  fpeak  as  directed  by  God 
Himfelf,  ^nd  deliver  Nothing  but  Blejjings. 
The  Prophet  accordingly,  after  feveral  fruitlefs 
ElTays  to  prevail  with  God  to  let  Him  curfe 
the  People,  was  flill  conftantly  with-held  from 
doing  it ;  and  inftead  of  ciirfmg  Them,  He  al- 
together blejjed^htm  three  times  5  and  at  length 
concluded,  prophefying  of  the  Do%vnfaU  of  the 
Moabites,  and  foretelling  many  and  prodigious 
Succejjes  of  the  People  of  IJraeL  Thus  was 
King  Balak's  Defign  utterly  fruflrated:  And 
inftead  of  rewarding  the  Prophet^  He  was  bit- 
terly incensd  againfl  Him.  And  now  Ba- 
laam, being  reduced  to  thefe  Straits,  began 
to  perceive  how  foolifh  an  Errand  He  had  come 


556     T'he  Hiftojy  and  CharaBer 

upon,  and  how  little  He  had  galn'd  by  the  Ex- 
pedition. However,  h-^v'm^  fail' d  in  0?7e  Way, 
He  hoped  now  to  make  Balak  fome  Amends 
in  another :  And,  as  God  had  now  given  the 
Man  up  to  his  own  mad  Counfels,  He  next  en- 
ter'd  into  as  wicked  and  impious  a  Defign  as 
could  well  be  imagined.  He  advifed  the  Mo- 
abites  to  think  of  fome  Means  of  drawing  the 
Ifraelites  into  fome  heinous  Offence  againft  Their 
God--,  affuring  Them,  that  there  was  no  poffi- 
ble  Way  of  getting  an  Advantage  over  Ifrael, 
unlefsThey  could  be  firfl  drawn  into  Sin,  that 
fo  a  Breach  might  be  made  between  Cod  and 
Them.  Tiiis  was  a  Kind  of  Machiavilian  Po- 
licy, fh-.ewd  and  deep  laid,  but  curfed  and 
diabolical,  h  had  not  the  EfFed  which  Ba- 
laam aim'd  at  in  it  (God  fo  far  defeating  his 
Counfels)  but  the  Event  was,  the  feducing 
great  Numbers  of  Ifraelites  into  Whoredom  firft, 
and  then  into  Idolatry-,  and  It  ended  in  the  De- 
flrudior.  of  24000  cf  God's  People. 

This  Wickednefs  of  Balaam  is  particular- 
ly taken  Notice  of  by  St,  John,  in  the  Revela- 
tions J  Who,  fpeaking  to  the  Church  of  Perga- 
miis  in  the  Name  of  Christ,  fays:  I  ha^ue  a 
few  things  againft  Thee,  becaufe  Thou  hafi  there 
'Them  that  hold  the  DoSlrine  ^Balaam,  Who 
taught  Bal  AK  /(?  caft  a  Stumblitig-block  before  the 

Children 


of  Balaam*  257 

Children  of  Ifrael,  to  eat  Tubings  ficnficed  imto 
Idols ^  and  to  commit  Fornication'' .  St.  Peter 
alfo  alludes  to  the  Same  Thing  3  fpeaking  of 
Some  Perfons,  Who^  as  He  fays,  h.-2id  forjaken 
the  right  TVa)\  and  were  gone  ajiray^  following 
the  IVay  of  Balaam  the  Son  of  Bocor,  who 
loved  the  Wages  of  XJnrighteoufneJs  ^.  St.PETER 
calls  Him  Son  of  Bosor  :  In  the  Old  Tefla- 
ment  He  is  called  Son  ofBEOR:  BuIBeor 
and  Bosor  are  Both  the  fame  Na?ne  in  the 
Original^  only  differejjtly  pronounced  :  And  per- 
haps This  may  be  one  Inftance  among  others 
wherein  St.  Peter  followed  a  Galilean  Pro- 
nunciation :  But  That  by  the  Way  only.  I 
fliould  take  Notice,  that  St.  Jude  alfo  alludes 
to  the  fame  Thing  with  What  St.  Peter  and 
St.  John  refer  to;  rebuking  fome  Perfons  for 
running  greedily  after  the  Error  of  Balaam 
for  Reward^.  The  Perfons  there  pointed  tOj 
were  a  wretched  Sed:  of  Falfe  Teachers  which 
ftarted  up  in  the  very  Infancy  of  the  Chriflian 
Church.  They  held  it  lawful  to  follow  car- 
7ial  Lufis,  to  commit  Fornication,  Adultery, 
Inceft,  and  other  Impurities.  This  palatable 
Doctrine  fuited  the  corrupt  Tafte  of  the  Fo- 
kptiioiiSj  and  brought  the  Teachers  in  much 
Applaufe,  and  many  a  fair  Prefnt  from  their. 
Vol.  II.  R  carnal 

«  Rev,  ii.  14.         '-"'  2  Pet.  ii.  15,        *  Jude  ver  i :, 


258     'The  Hijlory  and  CharaBer 

carnal  Hearers.  And  now,  becaufe  Their  Doc- 
trine was  very  like  Balaam's,  and  the  prin- 
cipal Motive  to  it  in  the  Teachers  was  Avarice, 
and  a  D^fire  oi  jlattering  dind.  pleafiig  Others  in 
Their  Lufts  ;  therefore  Thofe  Teachers  were 
compared  to  Balaam,  and  Their  Dodtrine  to 
His.  Their  Hebrew  Name  alfo  was  Balaamites^ 
as  their  Greek  "Name  was  Nicolaitans  ;  Both 
which  lignify  the  fame  Thing,  viz.  Lords,  or 
Leaders  of  the  People.  And  thus  the  Name 
of  Balaam  revived,  as  it  were,  in  the  firft 
Ages  of  the  Go/pel,  but  mucli  to  his  Difio- 
nour,  to  make  his  Memory  the  more  odious 
and  deteftable  to  latefl  Pofterity.  But  I  re- 
turn to  the  Hiflory  where  I  left  off. 

After  Balaam,  by  his  curfed  Counfels, 
had  led  Ifrael  into  a  Snare,  and  God  had  ta- 
ken fevere  Vengeance  of  his  own  People  for 
being  fo  weakly  mifled  ;  He  then  gave  Orders 
to  Mofes  and  the  Ifraelites  to  march  againfl  the 
Midianites,  and  fmite  Them,  in'  Revenge  for 
the  Wiles  which,  by  the  Advice  of  Balaam, 
They  had  pradifed,  and  thereby  beguiled  If- 
rael. Accordingly,  They  went  out,  and  made 
a  dreadful  Slaughter  of  the  Midianites,  de- 
ftroying  Their  Country,  and  dividing  the  Spoil. 
And  here  it  was  that  Balaam  at  length 
reap'd  the  Wages  of  his  Iniquity,  being  llaln 
I  amone 


of  Balaam.  259 

among  the  Reft  with  the  Edge  of  the  Sword  *. 
Such  was  the  End  of  that  unhappy  Man ;  once 
a  Prophet^  and,  as  it  feems,  highly  in  Favour 
with  Ahiiighty  God  j  but  beguiled  with  the 
Charms  of  Ambition  and  Covetoufnefs,  fall- 
ing off  by  little  and  little  (as  God  withdrew 
his  Grace,  which  He  had  made  an  ill  Ufe  of) 
till  at  length  He  came  up  to  the  higheft  Pitch 
of  Wickednefs ,  becoming  a  Seducer ^  2nd /et- 
ting  Him f elf  at  the  Headoi  the  Rebellion  agairf: 
God,  doing  infinite  Mifchief  by  his  Diabolical 
Counfels  5  and  inftrudiing  Princes  in  fuch  Arts 
of  curfed  Policy,  as  ought  to  render  his  Name 
infamous  to  all  Pofterity. 

I  fhould  farther  obferve,  that,  for  a  (land- 
ing Memorial  of  God's  Refentment  for  What 
had  been  done  by  the  Ammonites  and  Mo- 
ahites  againft  his  People  of  Ifracl  t,  He  7nade 
mi  Order  that  No  Ammoiute  or  Moabite  fhould 
be  permitted  to  enter  into  the  Congregation  of 
the  Lord,  till  after  the  tenth  Generation,  becaufe 
of  What  They  had  done  in  the  Matter  c/' Ba- 
laam. The  Words  of  the  Law  are  5  An 
Amw^onite  or  Moabite  fall  not  enter  i?ito  the 
Congregation  of  the  Lord,  even  to  the  tenth  Ge- 
neration.   Becaufe  They  met  Tou  not  with 

Bread  and  Water  in  the  Way,,  when  Tou  came 

Vol.  11.  R  2  forth 

2  Numb.  xxxi.  8.     Jofh.  xiii.  22» 


25o     Hoe  Hijiory  and  CharaBer 

forth  cut  of  Egypt ;  a?id  hecauje  T^hey  lured  a- 
gainft  Thee  Balaam  the  Son  o/'  Beor,  of  Pe- 
thor  of  Mcfopotamta^  to  curfe  Thee  ^.  The 
Meaning  of  which  Law  is,  that,  tho'  an  Am- 
pjonite,  or  a  Moabife,  fliould  become  a  Convert 
to  the  fe-wif:)  Religion,  and  conforrii  to  T'heir 
Ijaw  and  Ceremonies  in  every  Refpe6t,  and  be- 
come a  compleat  Member  of  the  fewifo  Church  ; 
yet  He  fluoiild  not  have  the  Privileges  of  Mar^ 
rying  with  an  Ifraelite,  but  iliould  be  debarred 
from  it,  lie  and  his  Poflerity  for  ten  Genera- 
tiojis ;  Which  is  interpreted,  in  Nehemiah, 
to  mean  for  ever  ^.  Such  was  the  Mark  fet 
upon  the  Ammonites  and  Moabites  for  Their 
Offence  in  That  Inftance  :  And  Balaam's 
I?jfamy  was  perpetuated  by  the  fame  Law, 
being  exprefly  mention'd  in  it  as  the  Man  who 

had  been  hired  to  cur/e  God's  People. But 

enough  hath  been  faid  of  the  Hijiory  of  Ba- 
laam ,  pafs  We  on  now, 

IL 

To  make  fome  Refledions  upon  it ;  as  it 
may  indeed  afford  Us  plentiful  Matter  for  it. 

I .  In  the  firft  place  obferve,  that  there  is 
no  Time  of  Man's  Life  wherein  He  may  not 
be  tempted,  or  may  not  be  in  Danger  oi  fall- 


*  Deut.  xxiii.  3,  4.  *»  Neh.  xiii.  1. 


tng 


of  Balaam.  261 

ing  off'iwm.  God  and  Gcodnefs ;  "Which  fl^.oiild 
be  an  Argument  to  Us  for  conjlant  Care  and 
Watchfuhiefs  over  Our  Selves.  Even  T^hofe 
Whom  God  hath  favoured  in  a  very  particular 
Manner^  and  ^vith  Heavenly  Gifts  'and  Graces^ 
are  no  more  fccure  than  Others^  if  They  take 
not  proportionable  Care.  I  fay  Nothing  of 
Solomon,  or  Others  who  might  here  be  m.en-' 
tion'd  :  Balaam  is  the  Inftance  now  before 
Us,  a  Prophet  of  the  ?72oJi  High  God,  and  pro- 
bably advanced  in  7^ears^  fince  his  Fame  had 
fpread  wide  and  far.  His  Sitanddng  w^as  not  fo 
firm^  but  that  an  iinloolid  for^  and  a  powerful 
Temptation  {hook  his  Stedfaftnefs,  and  brought 
Him  down  from  the  Heights  He  had  attain'd 
in  Gods  Favour,  to  a  mofl  forlorn  and  wretched 
Condition. 

2.  Obferve  farther,  how  dangerous  a  Thing 
it  is,  fo  much  as  to  attend,  or  lijlen  to  tlie 
Charms  of  Wealth  and  Honour  :  For  a  Gift  will 
fometimes  Mi?2d  the  JVif,  and  a  B'ribe  \ni\\  be- 
quile  their  Hearts.  Balaam  look'd  too  much 
upon  xhQ  golden  Prefents,  and  was  too  fenfibly 
ftruck  with  the  Soimd  of  Honour  and  Prefer-^ 
ments  ;  Which  made  Him  the  lefs  corifider  upon 
how  flippery  Ground  He  ftood,  and  how  dan- 
gerous an  Affair  That  was  to  concern  Himfelf 
in.     Put  it  even  in  the  bell  Light,  and  ima- 

R  3  gine. 


262     The  Hijlory  and  CharaBer 

gine  that  He  'might  have  had  God's  Leave  to 
do  what  Balak  delired  :  Yet,  would  a  wife 
and  a  good  Man  have  been  forivard  to  Jet  God 
to  Sale,  and  to  make  a  Tf^ade  of  the  Favours 
fent  liim  from  above  ?  El  i  sii  a  would  not  fuf- 
fer  fo  much  as  his  Servant  to  take  a  Gift  of  a 
great  Man  whom  He  had  cured  of  a  Leprofy  : 
So  imbecDming  a  'Thing  did  He  think  it  to  fell 
and  make  Merchandize  oi  fpiritual  Privileges, 
Had  Balaam  been  oi  that  Temper,  He  would 
never  have  been  mifed  in  the  (liameful  Manner 
He  was,  but  v/ould  have  held  fall  his  Integrity 
to  the  End. 

3.  Obferve  thirdly,  that  when  God  fees  Men 
leaning  too  far  to  ambitious  or  covetous  'Defuses, 
and  not  wife  enough  to  take  fuch  gentle  Hints 
cs  might  be  fufficient  to  call  Them  back  ;  He 
then  leaves  Them  to  purfueThdr  own  Hearts 
Lulls,  and  lets  Them  follov/  Their  own  Ima- 
ginations. When  He  at  firil  proJoibited  Ba- 
laam- from  curfng  the  People,  and  from  goi?2g 
mth  the  Mefjeiigers,  That  was  Indication  fiffi- 
'ciejjt.  -A  wife  Man,  after'T/3j/,  v/ould  have 
■abjolutely  reft  fed  to  treat  or  parley  with  any 
EmbafTadors  whatever  upon  the  fame  Errand. 
But  Balaam  had  y^if  his  Heart  upon  the 
Bribes,  and  was  become  warm  and  earer  in 
the  Bufinefs.     So   God  permitted  the  fooliili 

Man 


(?/*  Balaam.  263 

Man  to  go  on  as  his  Inclinations  led,  and  to 
run  his  utmofl;  Lengths  of  Folly  and  Madnefs. 
Since  He  would  not  retreat  in  Time,  nor  know- 
when  He  had  done  enough  (tho'  God  had  gi- 
ven ¥iin\Jiifficie?it  Intimatiom)  He  was  at  length 
permitted  to  proceed  in  his  own  Way,  and  to 
his  own  Deftrucftion. 

4.  Obferve  next,  how  fooliHi  a  Part  a  Man 
ads,  and  how  He  expofes  Himfelf  to  Contempt 
and  Scorn,  as  well  as  Danger,  when  He  takes 
upon  Him  to  follow  his  own  Way  and  Hu- 
mour, and  will  not  have  God  for  his  Guide. 
It  was  a  weak  Thing  in  Balaam  to  aflv  God 
a  fecond  Ttjne^  after  God  had  abundantly  iig- 
nified  his  Pleafure  :  And  It  was  fcill  weaker, 
after  He  had  received  a  fecond  Anfwer  difcou- 
raging  Him  from  any  Thought  of  curling  the 
People,  for  Him  to  go  on  with  the  Princes  of 
Moab^  and  to  offer  Himfelf  to  Bal  ak,  when 
He  could  do  Him  no  Service.  But,  to  fhew 
fome  sood  Inclination  towards  fervinp;  Ba- 
lak.  He  refolved  to  make  very  free  with 
Almighty  God  3  tho'  He  had  carried  his  irre- 
verent Familiarity  too  far  before.  He  was 
now  come  to  Balak,  and  Something  he  muft 
do  J  tho'  as  to  the  main  Ti'hing,  v/hich  v/as  air- 
fmg  the  People,  He  knew  very  well  that  Go4 
had  tied  tip  his  Month.     Hovyxver,   He,  m.akes 

R  4.  Bail  a  i^ 


^64     The  Hijlory  and  Cha^'acier 

Balak  prepare  Altars  znd  Sacrifices^  and  He 
would  thereby  try  again  and  again,  What  God 
would  fay  to  Him.  A  dan9;erous  Thinc^  thus 
to  tempt,  and  trifle  with  the  eternal  God  ! 
Well :  The  Effed  was,  that,  much  againfc  his 
Inclination,  He  was  made  to  Blefs  the  People 
whom  He  came  to  Curfe ;  Which  highly  of- 
fended Balak,  and  made  the  Prophet  ridi- 
culous in  the  Eyes  of  All  there  prefent.  Yet 
This  was  not  fufPicient,  but  the  foolifli  Man 
goes  on  to  tempt  God  again ^  and  with  the  fame 
Succefs ;  till  Balak  was  perfectly  inraged  a- 
gainft  the  Prophet,  and  God  let  them  Both  fee, 
that  His  Will  ihould  prevail,  and  not  Theirs. 

5.  Obferve  farther,  that,  when  once  flub- 
born  and  wilful  Men  have  run  fuch  Lengths 
in  Oppofition  to  the  JVill  of  Heave?! ;  God  then 
gives  Them  up  "to  a  reprobate  Mind,  and  lets 
Them  fall  from  one  Degree  of  Wickednefs  to 
another.  So  it  was  in  Balaam.  He  had 
been  provoking  God,  Time  after  Time,  by  the 
foolilli,  irreverent,  and  conceited  Part  He  had 
been  ading  :  And  now  God  left  Plim  to  do  a 
crreat  deal  worfe  :  to  be  CounfcIIor  to  Balak 
in  as  wicked  Policy  as  Flcll  it  felf  ccjld  invent  j 
to  J'educe  the  Jfraelites  into  Fornication,  and  into 
the  abominable  Lev/dneffes  which  went  along 
with  the  Fcajls  and  Retellings  made  in  Honour 

2  of 


of  Bajlaam.  265 

ofBAAL-PEOR,  A  Man  who  could  give  fuch 
Coiinfel  as  That,  muft  have  firfl  fl^aken  off  all 
Ho?20iir,  RefpeBj  or  Keverence  for  the  Living 
God ;  Which  indeed  appears  to  have  been. 
Balaam's  Cafe  in  the  End. 

6.  One  Thing  more  We  may  obferve  from 
his  Hiftory,  which  is  This  -,  that  the  Spii'it  of 
God  may  fometimes  voiichfafe  to  come  upon  a 
"■eery  ^wicked  Man  (fo  far  as  concerns  the  extra- 
ordinary  Gifts)  without  reforming  or  influencing 
the  fame  Man  as  to  his  Life  and  Morals,  in  the 
way  of  ordinary  Operation.  Thefe  two  Things 
are  very  diflinci,  and  may  often  be  feparate  ; 
as  in  Balaam  at  That  Time,  and  in  Judas 
afterwards.  Balaam  had  undoubtedly  the 
Gift  of  Prophecy,  even  while  He  was  doijig 
amifs,  and  tempting  Almighty  God.  For  the 
Spirit  of  God  came  upon  Him  a,  and  made  ufe 
of  his  Organs  in  the  delivering  feveral  remar- 
kable Pi'ophccies  fulfilied  in  their  Seafon  :  As 
the  rifingStrejigth,  and  growing  Greatnefs  of  the 
Ifraelites  :  The  Fall  of  Moab,  and  of  Edom^ 
v/hich  was  to  be  effe(5led  in  the  Time  of  King 
David  :  The  Deflrucfion  of  Amalek^  which 
came  to  pafs  fomewhat  fooner,  in  K.  Saul's 
Time  :  The  Overthrow  alfo  of  the  Kenites  by 
the  Hand  of  the  Ajjyriam :  And,  What  is  m.ore 

than 

'  Numb.  xxiv.  2. 


266  The  Hijlory  a72d  CharaSter^  &c, 

than  all,  the  Overthrow  of  the  Ajjyrian  Conque- 
rors T^hemjehes  by  the  Hands  of  the  Chittim, 
that  is,  of  the  Macedonians  -,  which  was  exe- 
cuted under  the  Condud:  of  Alexander  the 
Great.  Thefe  were  great  and  vaUiable  Pro- 
phecies, and  m oft  of  them,  befides  their  more 
immediate  Referejice^  had  a  further  View  to  the 
coming  o/' Christ  :  And  hence  it  is  that  this 
Hiftory  of  Balaam  deferved  the  more  efpe- 
cial  Notice,  and  is  made  to  fill  up  fo  many 
Chapters  in  Moses.  But  when  We  find  fuch 
confiderable  Prophecies  delivered  by  the  Mouth 
of  an  ungodly  Man  j  give  God  the  Glory,  and 
let  the  Sham.e  reft  where  it  ought.  The  Pro- 
phecies are  oi  Jlanding  Uje  in  the  Church ;  but 
the  Prophet  will  be  no  Gainer  by  them  :  Our 
Lord  Himfelf  has  fully  interpreted  this  Cafe, 
in  the  Words  following — Many  will  fay  to  Me 
in  that  Day^  Lord^  Lordy  Have  we  not  prophe- 
fod  in  thy  Name  f  ajjd  in  thy  Name  caji  out 
Devils  ?  and  in  thy  Name  done  many  wo?iderful 
Works  ?  A?2d  then  will  I  profefs  unto  Them,  I 
never  knew  Ton  ;  depart  from  Me  Te  that  work 
Iniquity  ^, 

,  »  Matt  yii,  22,  23. 


SERMON 


S  E  R  M 


The  Appearance  of  S  a  m  u  e  l^  to  Saul 
at  E?2-dor, 

I  Sam.  xxviii.  15,  16. 

^nd  Samuel  /aid  to  Satd^  Why  hajl  'Thoii 
dif quieted  Me^  to  bring  Me  up  f  And 
Saul  anjweredj  I  am  fore  dijlrejjed\  for 
the  Philijli7ies  make  War  againjl  Me^ 
and  God  is  departed  from  Me^  a?2d  ait- 
fwerethMe  no  more^  neither  by  Prophets^ 
?ior  by  Dreams :  Therefore  I  have  called 
Thee^  that  Thou  may  eft  malie  hiow7t  U7i- 
to  Me  What  I  Jhall  do. 

Then f aid Sa^nuel^where fore  then  do f  Thou 

ask  of  Me^  feeing  the  Lord  is  departed 

fro7n  Thee^  and  is  become  thine  E.7te7ny  ? 

HIS  Chapter  contains  a  mo/l 


ft^^'^  remarkable  Pafl:i2;e  of ilicredSto 
S^l  T  I'Mil  ry:  Melancholy  indeed  it  is,  but 
^Mfe'^3^  entertaining  withal ;  and,  when 
J^^  coniidered  in  all  its  Views,  highly 


inftrudive.     KIdg;  Saul 


is  here  introduced^ 
lipt 


268     T^he  Appearance  of  Sauve  l, 

jiot  in  his  Glory  and  Splendor,  as  when  firit 
called  to  the  Throne  of  I/racI,  but  in  his  De- 
cline of  Life,  and  his  mofl  deplorable  Circum- 
fiances,  which  his  many  and  grievous  Tranf- 
greffions  had  brought  Him  into.  Vengeance, 
which  had  long  hovered  and  waited,  now  ad- 
vanced with  large  and  quick  Strides,  and  his 
Fate  drew  on  a-pace.  He  perceived  it,  and 
was  very  fenfibly  affected  with  it.  One  can- 
not exprefs,  nor  indeed  conceive,  the  Pains 
and  Agonies  He  muft  then  have  felt  in  his 
Mind.  He  had  abandoned  God  for  fome 
Time,  and  He  was  now  fadly  fenfible  that  God 
had  abandon'd  Flim  :  Yet  He  had  a  great  De- 
lire  to  confult  Him  once  again,,  and  to  obtain 
a  kind  Anfwer  from  Him  in  his  Day  of  Diftrefs, 
He  put  on  the  outward  Garb  of  a  Devotee, 
while  liis  Heart  was  fall  hard  as  ever,  and  his 
Mind  not  changed.  His  prefent  Fears,  rather 
than  any  Thing  of  true  Penitence,  rouzcd  Him 
up,  and  made  Him  have  Recourfe  to  God ;  pre- 
pared at  the  fame  Time,  if  God  (l^iOuld  not  an- 
fwer, to  make  his  next  Refort  to  a  Sorcerejs^ 
and  by  Her  to  come  at  Samuel's  Ghofb. 

But  firft  He  applies  to  God.  The  PbiliJ- 
twcs  bore  hard  upon  Him  at  that  Time  with  a 
formidable  Army,  and  fo  near  to  Him  that 
there  was  but  a    Valley  between  Them  and 

flim  ', 


to  Saul  at  En-dor.  269 

Him ;  whereupon  He  was  greatly  diflrefs'd. 
In  fuch  prelTing  Exigency,  He  attempted  every 
Method  He  could  think  of  (by  Dream,  or  by 
Z7/7;;z,  or  by  Prophejy)  to  obtain  fome  inftruc- 
tive  Anfwer  from  God :  But  God  would  not 
hear  Him,  nor  take  the  leaft  Notice  of  Him, 
knowing  Him  ftili  to  be  the  fame  wicked  Man 
as  before  J  afflicted  indeed,  but  not  more  hum- 
ble 5  forrowful,  but  not  penitent,  nor  at  all 
changed  in  the  inward  Man. 

Saul,  thus  finding  Himfelf  repulfed  and 
rejeifted,  like  a  diftracfted  Man  refolved  to 
ftruggle  with  his  Fate  to  the  utmoft,  and  to 
run  any  Lengths  of  Madnefs.  Tho'  God  had 
deferted  Him,  yet  He  was  weak  enough  to 
imagine  that  Samuel  however  (that  is,  the 
Ghcji  of  S  AMU  E  L ;  for  He  had  been,  dead  about 
four  Years  before)  might  be  prevailed  upon  to 
iiften  to  Him,  and  to  return  Flim  a  kind  An- 
fwer. But  in  Order  to  come  at  Samuel,  He 
repairs  to  a  Sorcej^efs,  a  Woman  of  En-dor, 
ikill'd  in  Magick  Art,  and  fam'd  for  conjuring 
up  Ghojls  (as  the  World  believed)  by  her  So?-- 
ceries,  or  'Enchantments,  It  is  not  material  here 
to  enquire  into  the  Myfleries  of  that  Art,  or 
whether  it  ever  hath,  or  can  perform  fo  much 
as  it  pretends  to.  It  is  fufficient  that  Fame 
fo  reported  oi^kat  Woman ^  and  Saul  believed 

its 


270     l^he  Appearance  of  S  auv  el^ 

it  J  and  the  Woman^  tnifting  to  her  Art,  un- 
dertook the  Thing :  But  God  Himlelf,  as  it 
feems,  interpofed,  and  both  conduded  and 
governed  the  whole  Tranfadion.  There  hath 
been  great  Variety  of  Sentiments  among  the 
Learned,  and  very  different  Accounts  have  been 
given,  of  this  famed  Adventure. 

I.  I  will  therefore  endeavour  to  fettle  what 
I  take  to  have  been  the  'Truth  of  the  Cafe.    And, 

II.  Proceed  to  tYi^  praBical  Ufe  and  Appli- 
cation of  it. 

I. 

V  Some  have  thought  that  there  was  Nothing 
more  in  it  than  Trick  and  Legerdemain^  where- 
by a  cunning  Woman  impofed  upon  SaulV 
Credulity  -,  making  Him  believe  that  Ihe  faw 
an  Apparidon,  when  flie  really  faw  None  j  at 
the  fame  Time  contriving  that  a  Voice  (liould 
be  heard  fpeaking  unto  Saul  in  fuch  Manner, 
and  in  fuch  V/ords,  as  are  related  in  that  Chap- 
ter. 

But  this  Opinion  is  highly  improbable.  For, 
if  the  Woman  had  the  fole  conducing  of  That 
Affair,  intending  only  to  impofe  upon  Saul, 
fhe  would  mod  undoubtedly  have  contrived  to 
make  the  pretended  Samuel'^  Anfjoer  as 

agree- 


ioSkxJh  at  En-dor.  271 

agreeable,  2ind plea/i?2g  to  the  Khjg  2iS  poffible,  r.nd 
That  for  her  Owfi  Sake  efpecially  ;  for  Fear  of 
offending  Saul,  and  to  J'ave  her  own  Life,  as 
well  as  to  procure  from  Him  the  larger  Gra- 
tuity. She  would  never  have  told  Him  (flie 
durfl  not  have  told  Him)  that  He  Hi mfe If  (hould 
he  fiortly  Jlainy  and  bis  So?2s  with.  Him,  and 
that  the  Ho/i  of  Ifrael  fhould  be  delivered  into 
the  hand  of  the  Philijiines ;  as  we  read  Verfe  the 
19th.  Indeed,  the  whole  Turn  of  Samuel'^ 
Speech,  in  this  Chapter,  is  too  rough  and  ungrate- 
ful, too  g?'ave  2iV\dJblemn,  I  may  add  alfo,  too 
full  of  Truth  and  Reality,  to  h^ve  been  owing 
only  to  her  Contrivance,  or  Bjvenfion. 

For  It  muft  be  obferved  farther,  that  What 
was  here  fpoken  as  from  Samuel,  was  really 
prophetick^2ind\\'^s^\\n€t\i'A\y  fulfilled  a  few  Days 
after.  Here  were  Things  foretold,  which  nei- 
ther the  JVo?nan  Her  felf,  nor  even  her  Familiar 
Spirit  could  certainly  h'^vtforefeen.  None  bat 
God  Himjelf  could  have  revealed  the  Secret.  And 
how  unhkely  is  it  that  God  fliould  make  ufe 
of  this  Sorcerefs  as  a  Frophetefs,  and  fliould  give 
Her  the  Ho?iour  of  revealing  his  Counfels ;  at 
the  fame  time  concurring  with  Her  in  the  I?n- 
pofition  put  upon  Saul,  making  Him  believe 
that  Samuel  appeared  aiid  talk'd,  when  there 
was  no  Samuel  there.  - 

For 


272     The  Appearance  of  Samvel^ 

For  thefe  Reafons,  we  may  prefume  to  think 
and  judge,  that  the  Matter  here  related  was 
not  all  a  meer  juggle  or  Contrivance  of  an  art- 
ful Woman,  but  Somethhjg  more.  There  was 
inofi:  certainly  an  Apparition  in  the  Cafe,  ei- 
ther of  Samuel'^  Ghoji^  or  of  Some  Other 
Spmt perjb?2aling  Samuel.  And  here  again 
Criticks  are  much  divided.  Which  to  chufe. 
Upon  confidering  this  Matter  very  carefully, 
with  the  Reafons  offered  on  both  Sides,  I  in- 
cline to  think  that  Samuel  really  appeared^ 
that  is,  Samuel'^  Ghoji ;  not  hy  zny  Power 
of  Inchantment ^  but  by  God's  DireBion  and  Ap- 
pointment^  for  a  Rebuke  to  Saul,  and  in  the 
Way  of  Funifiment  to  Him  for  His  great  Fre- 
fumption  in  doing  What  He  did.  For  the  Mef- 
fage,  thus  brought  Him,  was  exceeding  rough 
and  fevere  j  greatly  added  to  the  Load  of  his 
Misfortunes,  and  enhanced  the  Weight  of  his 
Troubles.  The  Reafons  for  this  Interpretation 
are  as  follow. 

I .  This  Method  of  proceeding  is  very  conform- 
able  to  What  God  had  been  pleafed  to  do  be- 
fore, in  other  Cafes  of  like  Nature.  As,  when 
King  Balak  had  Recourfe  to  Sorceries  and 
Divinations,  in  Hopes  to  procure  fome  Relif^ 
or  fair  Projnifes  at  leafl:  from  them,  GodHlm- 
f elf  inter pofed^  and  fo  over-ruled  Balaam,  and 

all 


% 


It?  Saul  ^/En-dor.  273 

all  his  Dmnatio?2S,  that  K.  Balak  could  ob- 
tain no  favour  able  Anfwer  from  them,  but 
quite  the  Reverfe  ^. 

In  like  Manner,  when  King  Ahaziah  had 
fent  to  confult  Baalzebub,  the  Demon  of 
Ekrcn,  to  know  whether  He  fliould  recover 
of  the  Sicknefs  He  then  lay  under,  hoping,  no 
doubt,  to  obtain  a  Favourable  Anfwer  there, 
as  probably  He  might  have  done ;  God  Him- 
felf  took  care  to  anticipate  the  Anfwer  by  Eli- 
jah the  Prophet,  who  aflured  the  MelTengers, 
meeting  Them  by  the  Way,  that  Their  Mafter 
Ahaziah  (hould  not  recover ,  but  (houldfurely 
die  ^. 

Thus  probably  was  it  in  the  Cafe  of  Saul  2 
When  He  was  in  Hopes  of  a  kind  Anfwer  from 
Samuel,  and,  it  is  hkely,  would  have  had 
a  very  favourable  one  from  fome  pretended 
Samuel j  fome  Demon  in  his  Shape,  if  the 
wretched  Woman  could  have  raifed  fuch  a 
One  by  her  Sorceries  5  God  was  pleafed  to  dif- 
appoint  both  the  Sorcerefs  and  Him,  by  fend- 
ing the  true  Samuel  with  a  true  3.nd  faiths 
ful  MeiTage,  and  quite  contrary  to  what  the 
Woman  or  Saul  had  exped:ed ;  Which  fo 
confounded  and  diforder'd  Him,  that  He  in- 

Vpl.  II.  S  ftantly 

*  NttBib.  xxiii.  ''  2  Kings  i. 


274    '^^^  /Appearance  of  Sam u^Ly 

flantly  fell  down  into  a  Swoon,  and  could  no 
longer  bear  up  againil  the  bitter  Agonies  of  his 
Mind. 

2.  This  Interpretation  is  plain  ^ndnatural,  and 
leaft  forced  of  any,  agreeing  well  with  the 
Words  of  the  Text,  The  Story  is  here  told 
in  fuch  a  Way  as  One  would  expeEt  tojijid,  upon 
the  Suppojition  it  really  was  S  amu  el.  It  is  faid, 
that  the  Woman  faw  Samuel,  fhe  cried 
out,  &c  ^.  And  that  Saul  perceived  that  it  was 
Samuel''.  How  could  He  perceive  it,  if  it 
was  not  fo  ?  Or  why  is  it  faid,  that  He 
perceived  \ty  rather  than  that  He  imagined,  or 
fuppofed  fo?  In  the  Sequel  of  the  Narrative, 
it  is  added,  Samuel  faid  unto  Saul^;  and 
again.  Then  faid  Samu  e  l  ^  ^  which  would  not 
be  true,  if  it  were  only  2. perfojiated  Samuel, 
a  Familiar  in  S  am  u  e  lV  Shape  :  And  It  is 
ftrange  that  the  Text  fhould  thus  word  it,  if 
Samuel  were  not  really  there.  It  is  2,% plainly 
faid  here,  that  Samu  e  l  appeared  and  talked  ^ ; 
as  it  is  elfe  where  faid  that  Moses  and  Eli  as 
appeared  and  talk'd  with  our  BlefTed  Saviour^. 
So  that  if  we  confider  the  Letter  of  the  Text, 
and  the  moft  obvious  and  natural  Conflrudlion  of 

it 

'  I  Sam.  xxviii.  1 2.  •*  — ver.  16. 

^ — ver,  14.  « — ver.  iz,  14,  15,16. 

•^  —ver.  15,  f  Matt,  xvii,  3. 


to  Saul  <3!/ En-dor.  275 

it  (which  We  fhould  not  depart  from,  v/ithout 
the  greateO:  Neceffity)  We  fhall  be  obliged  to 
confefs,  that  the  Apparition  was  really  Samu- 
el, and  No  Other. 

3 .  T^his  Conflrudiion  is  very  ancient^  the  mojl 
ancient  of  any -,  and  feems  indeed  to  have  been 
\h^  general  Perfuajhn  of  tho.  J ewifi  Church,  long 
before  the  Corning  of  Christ. 
\    The  Author  of  the  Book  of  Ecckjiajikzis 
lived  about  300  Years  before  Christ,  within 
100  Years,  orlefs,  of  the  laft  Prophet  M ala- 
ck i.    He  was  a  confiderable  Man  in  his  Time, 
and  as  likely  to  know  the  true  Senfe  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  to  give  the  general  Sentiments  of  the 
yewijh  Church,    as  Any  Man  of  that  Age, 
What  He  thought  of  this  Matter  which  We 
are  now  upon,    may  be   there   feen,   v/here, 
fpeaking  of  S  am  u  e l ,  He  fays  thus :  After  his 
i)eath  He  prophefied,  and  fiewed  the  King  his 
"End,  and  lift  up  his  Voice  from  the  Earth  in  Pro- 
phecy, to  blot  out  the  Wickednefs  of  the  People  ^. 
Thi&  Author  plainly  enough  fuppofed,  that  it 
was  Samuel  Himfe If  vjho  appeared  in  Perfon, 
and  prophelied  to  King  Saul. 

The  Greek  Tranflators  of  the  Old   Tefta- 
ment,  who  lived  not  long  after  that  Time, 

Vol.  II.  S  2  were 

*  Ecclef.  xlvi,  20. 


2y6     Th  Appearance  ^Samuel, 

were  in  the  fame  Perfuafion  j  as  appears  by  an 
additional  Note  which  They  inferted  in  the 
xth  Chapter  of  the  firjl  Book  of  Chronicles^ 
where  They  fay,  that  Samuel  the  Prophet 
gave  the  Anfwer  to  King  Saul,  when  He  en- 
quired of  the  Sorcerefs  a. 

In  the  fame  Sentiments  was  Josephus  the 
yewijh  Hijlorian,  who  lived  in  the  Apoilles 
Times  ;  and  thus  thought  Many  of  the  earlieji 
Chrijiian  Fathers.  So  that  This  ConfiniBion  of 
the  Text  is  certainly  very  a?icient,  and  for  a 
long  Time  pafs'd  current :  Nor  do  I  fee  any 
fufficient  Reafon  why  it  fhould  be  rejected. 
But  becaufe  later  Criticks  have  fome  flight 
Things  to  objedt,  which  have  been  thought 
material ;  I  (liall  briefly  confider  What  thofe 
ObjeEiions  are  which  have  moved  Them  to  de- 
part from  the  Letter^  and  from  the  ancient 
ConJlriiBion, 

I.  They  objecfl,  that  the  Text  fpeaks  of 
bringing  z/j?>  S  am  u  e  l  as  it  were  out  of  the  Ground -, 
whereas,  if  it  had  been  Samuel,  He  Ihould  ra- 
ther h.2iVQco?nedow?tfrom  Heaven.— ^^-itTlm  Ob- 
jedion  is  no  more  againft  the  Suppolition  of  it's 
being  Samu  e  L'iGy6o/?,thanagainil  the  fuppoling 
it  to  be  a?iy  other  Spirit  whatever  ;  For  We  have 
Reafon  to  believe,  that  even  Evil  Spirits  have 

not 

.'  I  Chron,  x.  15, 


to  Saul  at  En-dor*  277 

not  their  Dwelling  under  Ground^  but  in  the 
Air  rather ;  and  the  Denjtl  therefore  is  ftiled, 
in  the  New  Teftament,T^^  Prince  of  the  Power 
of  the  Air^.     Bat  the  true  Reafon  why  Sa- 
muel is  reprefented  as  being  brought  up^  is, 
becaufe  his  Body  was  under  Grotrnd^  to  which 
his  Soul  was  fliil  conceived  to  bear  a  Relation ; 
and  it  was  upon  this  chiefly,  that  the  popular 
prevailing  Notion  of  all  Separate  Souls  being  in 
the  Heart  of  the  Earth,  was  founded  :  Which 
popular  Notion^  as  it  obtained  among  the  Jews, 
and  is  often  alluded  to  in  the  hanguage  of  Scrip-- 
ture,  adapting  it  felf  to  vulgar  Capacities,  it  is 
no  Wonder  that  the  Relation  of  this  Appari^ 
tion  of  Sa-MUEl  fhould  be  accommodated  there- 
to :  So  that  Nothing  can  be  concluded,  in  this 
Cafe,  merely  from  the  Mamter  in  which  Sa- 
muel is  faid  to  come  up. 

2.  But  it  is  further  objecSted,  that  the  Appa^ 
rition  here  in  the  Perfon  of  Samuel,  com^ 
plains  to  Saul,  of  being  difquieted  or  diflurbed 
by  Him  :  And  It  is  thought  not  likely,  that 
the  Reji  of  God's  Saints  fhould  be  liable  to  be 
dijiur bed  hy  ]kchant?ne?2ts,  or  any  Power  of  Witch- 
es, or  Devils. — Very  true  ;  neither  the  Sorcerefs 
nor  all  the  Powers  of  Hell  could  have  given  any 

S  3  Diflurbance 

»  Eph,  ii.  2, 


278     The  Appearance  of  Sauvel, 

Dijiurba72ce  to  his  peaceful  Ghoft  :  But  God 
Almighty,  with  whom  the  Spirits  of  juft  Men 
made  perfeB  dwell,  7nighf  pleaj'e  to  fend  Sa- 
muel upon  that  Occafion,  to  deliver  the  Mejjage 
from  Hi??i  :  And  as  Saul's  Prefumption  and 
Raflmefs  was  the  Occafion  of  the  whole  Thing, 
He  deferved  a  Reproof  for  What  He  had  done  : 
And  what  can  One  better  call  it,  than  dif- 
qiiieti?ig,  and  difturhi7ig  the  Repofe  of  Samuel, 
and  bringi?ig  Him  out  from  his  Reft,  which 
Saul  is  faid  to  have  done,  becaufe  He  occafimied 
the  doing  it  ?  Neverthelefs,  Samuel,  to  be 
fure,  thought  it  no  Trouble  to  come  upon  God's 
Errand,  and  to  execute  the  Divine  Commands ; 
tho'  it  was  proper  to  rebuke  Saul  for /»?j Part 
in  it,  and  to  fpeak  of  that  Affair  after  a  ?2atii- 
ral  JVay,  and  in  Conformity  to  co^mnon  Appr^- 
henfons. 

3.  But  It  is  further  obiedled,  that  It  is  hard 
to  give  a  Reafon  why  God,  Who  had  refufed 
to  anfwer  Saul  either  by  Dreams,  or  by  IJ- 
rim,  or  by  Prophets,  fhould  at  length  vouch- 
fafe  to  anfimr  Him  in  fuch  a  Way  as  This,  and 
by  the  Mediation  of  a  wicked  Sorcerefs.—^  But 
as  to  this  Matter,  if  the  Faci  be  true.  It  is  not 
necefary '  for  Us  to  afign  the  Reafon  for  God's 
T)ifpenfatio7is  :   Be  That  as  it  will.  It  is  very 

certain 


to  Savl  a;f  En-don  279 

certain  that  God  £d  interpofe  and  condud: 
that  whole  Affair,  as  I  before  remark'd ;  other- 
wife  there  could  not  have  been  fo  plain  and 
{o  true  a  TrediBicn  of  Things  to  come.  But 
it  may  be  eafy  to  account  for  God's  anfwering 
Saul  in  tJois  Way^  as  it  was  expojing  and  af- 
JliBing  Him  more  feverely  than  in  any  other ^ 
after  He  had  richly  deferved  it  :  And  God 
might  hereby  fhew  his  prevailing  Power  even 
over  Inchantments  and  Charmers ;  that,  when 
vain  Men  attempt  even  to  go  to  Hell  for  Coiin- 
fely  He  will  7Jjeef  T^hem  and  bar^e  Them  even 
there. 

4.  But  it  is  ftill  further  objeded,  that  the 
Predi^iofis  of  the  Apparition,  under  the  Name 
of  Samuel,  were  not  true,  and  therefore 
could  not  be  Samuel's.— -This  Objedionis  to 
the  Purpofe,  and  v/ould  be  decijive,  if  it  were 
juji  :  But  the  Thi?jgs  foretold  were  exa6ily  ve- 
rified, and  the  Event  anfwered  to  the  Prophecy 
in  every  Particular  :  Only  It  is  obferved,  that 
the  Things  came  not  to  pafs  till  four  or  five 
Days  after,  whereas  the  PrediBion  feems  to  li~ 
mit  the  Time  to  the  next  Day  j  for  It  fays, 
To  Morrow,  fialt  Thou  and  thy  Sons  be  with  Me\ 
But  then  again  it  mull  be  acknowledged,  and 

S  4  is 

=-Ver.  19. 


2 8o     The  Appearance  of  SamueLj 

is  acknowledged  by  the  Beji  Critich,  that  the 
Word  which  we  render  in  Enghih,  To  Morrow, 
may  as  well  be  rendred,  Very  fiortly,  which  it 
really  fignifies  in  this  Place, 

5.  Well,  but  is  it  not  faid,  To  Morrow  Jhak 
Tkou  and  thy  Sons  be  with  Me^  Was  Saul 
then,  fo  wicked  a  Man,  to  go  after  Death  to 
the  fame  Blejjed  Place  with  righteous  Samu- 
el ?  —  No,  nor  is  it  likely  upon  the  other 
Suppolition,  that  io  ^WaSon  as  Jonathan 
Ihould  fare  no  better  in  another  State,  than 
fo  bad  a  Father  :  But,  in  Truth,  the  Text 
determines  Nothing  at  all  of  the  State  of  Ei.-^ 
ther  after  Death.  All  that  is  meant  by  the 
Words,  Thou  fialt  be  with  Me,  is.  Thou  fhalt 
die^  Thou  flialt  be  as  I  am,  that  is,  dead^  and 
in  the  Regions  of  Separate  Sprits ;  and  fo  it 
proved. 

I  have  now  run  thro'  the  moft  confiderable 
Objeftions  which  have  been  pleaded  againft 
interpreting  the  Words,  of  Samuel  Him/el/l 
that  is,  of  Samuel's  Ghofi,  as  I  interpret 
Them  :  But  none  of  thofe  Objections  feem  to 
be  of  Weight  fufiicient  to  perfuade  Us  to 
depart  from  the  Letter,  and  the  moj}  ancient 
Conilrudtion.  I  conclude  therefore,  as  before, 
that  it  was  Samue^,  Himjclf  Who  appeared 

and 


to  Savl  aiEti'dot:  281 

md  prophefied  -,  not  called  up  by  that  wretched 
Woman y  or  her  Demo?2s,  but  fent  thither  by  God 
to  rebuke  Saul'j  Madnefs,  in  a  moft  affefting 
and  mortifying  Way ;  and  to  deter  all  Others 
from  ever  applying  to  Witches  or  Demo?is  for 
^ijiancej  when  refufed  Comfort  from  God. 


II. 

Having  thus  fettled  the  Sacred  Story,  I 
fhall  now  proceed  to  the  P radical  life  znd. 
Application  of  it.  For  indeed  I  would  not 
have  fet  fo  light  either  by  your  Time  or  my 
own,  as  to  have  chofen  a  Subjed:  of  mere  Cu- 
riofity,  to  entertain  the  Ear  only,  without  im- 
proving the  Heart.  But  I  take  this  Part  of 
Scripture-Hiftory  to  be  highly  inJiruBive  and 
edifying ;  and  therefore  well  deferving  our 
clofe  and  ferious  Meditations. 

I.  Firji^  obferve  how  carelefs  and  unthink-- 
ing.  Men  are  apt  to  be  in  their  Pro/perity,  and 
till  the  Hour  of  Dijlrefs  comes.  Saul  was 
a  Man  of  as  much  Coldnefs  and  Indifference 
in  Religion,  as  Any  Man  could  be  ;  fwayed, 
for  the  moft  Part,  by  his  own  Plumour  and 
Vanity.  He  never  thought  of  conjulting  God, 
or  aiking  Directions,  all  the  Time  He  was 
perfeciiting  righteous  David  from  City  to  City, 

hunting 


J 


282     7he  Appearance  of  Samuel, 

hunting  Him  thro'  every  Quarter  of  the  King- 
dom, and  driving  Him  out  into  a  ilranee 
Land.  He  never  thought  of  confulting  God, 
when  He  barbaroufly  undertook  to  murder 
Jowjcore  and  five  of  the  Lord's  Priejis,  inno- 
cent Men,  and  who  had  deferved  no  111  at  his 
Hands,  But  now  at  lafl,  when  He  perceived 
bis  own  Life  to  be  in  Danger,  as  if  ^hat  alone 
were  precious  in  God's  Sight,  or  ^hat  alone 
worthy  of  the  Divine  Care  and  Notice  j  then 
He  began  to  apply  to  God,  and  prete?2ded  a  Re- 
fpe£t  and  Reverence  for  Him,  tho'  all  the  while 
his  Heart  was  far  from  Him.  Danger  and 
Diflrefs  will  fometimes  frighten  and  difmay  a 
hardned  Sinner,  and  "That  is  all :  For,  It  is 
not  any  relenting  Sorrow  for  his  Sins  which 
troubles  Him,  but  the  Senfe  of  What  He  ap- 
prehends of  the  Pain  and  the  DefiruBlon  jufi 
falling  upon  Him, 

2.  Obferve,  Secondly,  that  in  fuch  Cafes,  ge- 
nerally, God  very  juflly  turns  away  his  Ear, 
and  will  vouchjafe  no  Anfwer  in  the  ordittary 
Way,  to  fuch  grievous  Offenders.  Of  Such  as 
Thefe  it  is  that  God  fays,  in  the  Proverbs^ 
They  fhall  call  upon  Me,  but  I  will  not  anfwer ; 
"They  fhall  feek  Me  early,  but  T'hey  pall  not  find 
J4c^,     And  good  Reafon  why  j  Becaufe  He 

had 

a  Prov.io  28. 


io  Saul  ^/En-dor,  283 

had  before  called,  and  They  refufed ;  He  had 
jiretched  out  his  Hand,  and  No  Man  regarded  > 
They  had  Jet  at  Nought  all  his  Coimfel^  and 
would  no7ie  o/'his  Reproofs.     There  is  a  certain 
Degree  of  Forbearance  and  Long-fuiFering,  be- 
yond Which  even  the  Divi?ie  Goodnefs  will  7iot 
extend.     Provocations  may  proceed  to  fuch  a 
Height,  as  to  leave  no  Room  for  farther  Mer- 
cy.    Tatience  long-abujed  will  at  laft  give  Place 
to   Vengeance.     God  will  then  withdraw  his 
Grace,    and  lock  up  his  Favours,    deferting 
the  impenitent  hardned  Wretch,  and  aban- 
doning Him  to  the  wild  Purfuit  of  his  own 
Inventions,     This  is  a  Matter  of  dreadful  Con- 
lideration  to  all  inveterate,  impenitent  Offen- 
ders :    And  yet  it  fliould  not  be  a  Difcourage- 
ment  to  Any  Man  againft  repenting ;   Becaufe 
the  very  Difpofition^  or  Inclination  to  Repen- 
tance is  a  hopeful  Sympto??2,  and  is  a  promiiing 
Argument  in  his  Favour,  that  his  Day  of  Grace 
is  7iot  pajlj  and  that  it  is  not  yet  too  late  to. 
return. 

3.  Obferve  further ^  from  the  Hiflory  be- 
fore laid  down,  how  miferable,  how  melan- 
choly a  Thing  it  is,  for  a  Man  to  have  fnnd 
to  fuch  a  Degree  as  to  be  entirely  abandoned  by 
Qod^  and  to  have  the  beji  Friend  in  the  World 

keconie. 

a  Prov.  i.  24,  25, 


284     The  Appearance  of  Samv el, 

become  his  Enemy,     There  is  no  Condition  fo 
difconfolate,  fo  deplorable  as  That  is :  Let  Him 
fit  down  to  invent  and  contrive  ever  fo  long  j 
there  is  no  Expedient  that  can  help  Him,  no 
Contrivance  but  what  will  turn  againft  Him, 
and  will  mcreafe  his  Mifery,  inftead  of  j-elie- 
'ving  it.     What  could  unhappy  Saul  do  in 
his  preffing  Difficulties !  God  would  not  affift 
Him,  and  no  One  elfe  could.    He  might  think 
of  his  Court-Flatterers,  or  of  his  ablefl:  Coun- 
fellors,  and  of  his  Troops  and  Armies  :  But 
Nothing  in  this  World  could  give  Him  Com- 
fort, or  afford  Flim  Relief.    I'hen  He  thought 
of  dead  Samuel,  whom  He  had  often  defpi- 
fed  and  flighted  while  alroe :  And,  to  fhew 
how  a  finking  Man  will  lay  hold  on  every 
Twig,  He  was  foollfli  enough  to  imagine,  that' 
He  might  Jieal  a  Favour  from  God's  Servant 
Samuel,  when  He  could  not  obtain  one  from 
God  HimJ'elf.     He  made  the  Experiment,  and 
in  a  very  odd  Way,  as  you  have  heard  ;  and 
how  at  length  it  ended,  I  have  defcribed  at 
large.     Let  this  fad  Example  convince  Every 
Man  who  attends  to  it,  how  impofTible,  hom 
impraSficahk  it  is,  to  lay  any  Scheme  of  Happi- 
nefs  which  fiall  at  all  anfwer,  without  firfl  ta- 
king Care  to  makt  God  his  Friend :   Without 

This, 


io  Saul  at  En-dor.  285 

This,  all  our  Toils  and  Endeavours  come  to 
Nothing  :  It  is  but  building  in  the  Air,  or 
labouring  for  the  Wind.  What  can  a  Man 
do,  when  God  becomes  his  Enemy,  or  but  ceafes 
to  be  his  Friend!  Can  He  hide  Himfelf  from 
His  Prefence  !  Can  He  run  beyond  the  Reach 
of  His  Power  !  If  He  could  climb  up  into 
Heaven,  God  is  there 5  and  if  He  goes  down 
into  Hell,  even  there  alfo  will  his  Hand  find 
Him,  and  his  Vengeance  purfue  Him.  Search 
the  whole  Univerfe  for  a  Moment's  Pro- 
tection,  and  it  is  all  to  no  Purpofe  :  For  all  is 
in  God's  Hands ;  to  Him  all  Creatures  bow, 
and  every  Element  fubmits  to  his  Will  and 
Pleafure.  The  Sum  then  is,  that  the  only  Way 
to  HappinefSj  is,  to  Jirike  up  an  Inter ejl^  a  League 
of  Amity  with  God,  and  never  to  fwerve  from 
it,  for  any  Temptation,  any  Allurement  what- 
foever.  Make  but  Hifn  your  Friend,  and  in 
Him  you  have  All;  as  on  the  other  hand,  by 
lofing  Him,  you  are  fure  to  lofe  every  Thing 
that  is  'Valuable  together  with  Him. 

The  pradical  Conclulion  from  the  Whole 
is,  that  We  learn  to  fet  a  true  Value  upon 
God's  Favour  and  Friendihip,  and  that  We 
ufe  our  utmoft  Endeavours  both  to  procure 
and  to  preferve  it ;    And,  as  Nothing  will  do 

it 


286     The  Appearance  of  Sahuel^ 

it  but  a  good  and  holy  Life,  and  That  cer- 
tainly will ',  We  may  from  hence  infer  the 
abfolute,  indifpenfable  Neceffity  of  making 
Religion  our  firfl  and  principal  Care,  as  it  is 
our  laft  and  our  greateft  Concern.  So  much 
for  the  U/e  and  jipplicatio?i  of  this  famous 
Part  of  Sacred  Hiftory. 

4.  There  is  a  {lighter,  incidental  Ufe,  which 
might  have  been  taken  Notice  of  by  the  Way, 
which  yet  I  pafs'd  over,  and  ihall  here  but 
juft  mention  ;  and  That  is,  the  Argument  to 
be  drawn  from  this  Inilance,  to  prove  that 
Souls  exiji  feparate  from  the  Body  after  Death  ; 
and  do  not  only  exijl^  but  are  awake  and  ac^ 
the,  and  have  their  intellectual  Powers  in 
Perfection.  But  as  That  may  be  abundantly 
proved  from  other  Places  of  Scripture  lefs  li- 
able to  Difpute,  We  need  not  infifl  much 
upon  This.  Indeed  I  cannot  fay  that  there 
is,  in  the  whole  Scripture,  any  plain  and  un- 
exceptionable Inftance  of  a  departed  Soul's  ap^ 
pearing  and  talking  upon  Earth,  if  This  be 
not  One:  Moses  once,  and  Elias  came 
down  and  talk'd  with  our  BlefTed  Saviour  j 
but  whether  in  the  Body,  or  out  of  the  Bo- 
dy, We  cannot  tell,  God  knoweth  :  How- 
ever, the  Que  ft  ion,  as  to  Separate  Souls  exiJl-* 

ing 


to  Saul  at  En-don         287 

ing  and  aEting  after  Deaths  does  by  no  Means 
depend  upon  any  Examples  of  Apparitions^ 
but  is  fufficiently  proved  by  many  and  clear 
'Tejiimonies  of  Sacred  JVrit,  as  might  be  fliewn 
at  large,  were  this  the  proper  Place  for  it  : 
But  I  defign'd  only  a  fhdrt  Hint  of  this  Mat- 
ter, that  I  might  not  feem  entirely  to  have 
pafs'd  it  over  thro'  Forgetfulnefs,  or  Hafte. 

And  now  I  fhould  befeech  You,  after  this 
ihort  Interruption,  to  let  your  Thoughts  re- 
turn to  the  principal  Thing  of  all ;  namely, 
the  Neceffity  of  looking  after,  and  procuring 
God's  Friendlhip  by  a  good  and  holy  Life : 
Which,  that  we  may  all  ferioully  think  of, 
and  with  good  EfFed:,  God  of  his  Mercy 
grant^  thro'  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ! 


A 


SummaryVie 


O  F    T  H  E 


D  O  C  T  R  I  N  E 


O    F 


Vol.  IL  T 


O  F     T  H  E 


O  C  T  R  I  N  E,  e^'f. 


H  E  Doctrinal  Points  of  Re- 


have  been  lately  brought 
upon  the  Carpet  ;  and  I 
have,  upon  another  Occa- 
fion,  taken  the  Liberty  to 
throw  in  fome  few  Thoughts  upon  them. 
Now,  the  Subjeil  of  yujiijication  being  nearly 
allied  to  the  Former,  and  feeming  alfo  to 
want  fome  farther  illuflrating,  by  Way  of 
Appendage  or  Supplement  to  the  Points  be- 
fore-mention'd  j  My  prefent  Defign  is  to  give 
you  a  Jummary  View  of  it,  by  confidering, 


Vol.  II. 


T  2 


I.  What 


4  A  fummary  View  of  the 

I.  What  the  Name  imports. 

II.  V/hat  the  T^hing  contains. 

III.  How  it  ftands  diftingiiified  from  Reno^ 
vation  and  Rege?jeration. 

IV.  What  are  the  concurring  Caufes  on  God's 
Part,  and  on  Majis,  to  produce  it,  and 
to  preferve  it. 

V.  What  are  the  common  Extremes  which 
Many  have  been  apt  to  run  into  on  this 
Head,  and  how  they  may  be  avoided. 

I. 

The  Firji  Article  is  the  Name,  which  ought 
to  be  de/i?2ed before  the  Thing-,  and,  in  Order 
thereto,  muft  be  firil  diJiingiiiJlS d. 

There  appears  to  be  fufficient  Ground  in 
Scripture  for  diilinguifliing  'Jujlijication  into 
aBive  and  pajjive  :  For,  as  the  Name  Regene- 
ration, when  denoting  an  j45i  or  Grant  of 
God^  bears  an  aSfive  Senfe,  and  when  deno- 
ting a  Privilege  received  by  Us,  bears  a  pajjive 
Senfe  ;  fuch  alfo  is  the  Cafe  with  Refpedt  to 
the  Name  'Jujlijication.  It  means  either  God'% 
Grant,  for  it  is  God  that  jujiifies  ^  -,  or  it  means 

Our 

'  Rom.  iji.  25,  26,  30.  iv.  ^.  yJii-  33-  Ga^-  "i-  8.  Tit.  iii.  7. 
Rom.iv.  25.  V.  18.  iV.  B.  In  the  two  laft  Texts,  the  Word  for 
'Jujlijication  is  L.\KO(!yjij\,%,  which  bears  an  aSliiie  Senfe. 


DoBrim  of  Juftification.  5 

Our  Privilege^  Endowment^  Fojj'ejjion  holden  of 
God  bj  as  We  are  faid  to  be  jiijiified  by  Him. 
yiijlijication  always  fuppofes  two  Parties,  One 
to  give,    and  Another   to  receive  j    whether 
without  any  A£i  at  all  on  the  Receptive  Side,  as 
in  the  Cafe  of  Infants,  or  whether  acco^npanied 
with  receptive  A5is,  as  in  the  Cafe  of  Adults , 
who  may  be  properly  faid  to  accept  and  ajje?it 
to,  as  well  as  to  receive  or  enjoy.     God,  the 
fupreme  Law-giver  may  be  confidered  either 
as  a  Redlor  and  Governour  contra^ing  with  Man, 
and  laying  down  the  Therms  of  his  Covenafit  -, 
or  as  a  'Judge,  giving  Sentence  according  to  the 
Terms  laid  down.     Correfpondently,  Man  may 
be   confidered  either  as  accepting  the  Terms 
upon  his  entring  into  Covenant ;  or  as  pleadiiig 
them  afterwards  at  the  Bar  of  Juftice,  at  the 
Divine  Tribunal.     There  is  no  more  Diifer- 
ence  between  thofe  two  feveral  Views  of  the 
fame  Thing,  than  there  is  between  the  ifj'uiiig 
cut  a  general  Grant  for  the  Benefit  of  All  Per- 
fons  Who  fhall  duly  and  properly  accept  it ; 
and  the  aBual  conferring  the  Benefit  of  that 
Grant  upon  the  Perfons  fo  accepting  :    But 
Some  have  chofen  o?ie  View  for  the  eafier  and 
T  3  apter 

**  LiKaaaa-vv/i,  which  may  as  well  be  rendred  juftification  as 
Righteoufr.efs,  appears  to  mean  our  Right eoufnefs^  which  We  hold 
of  Go/s  Grace  by  Faith  in  Chrift  Jefus,  in  the  following  Texts  j 
Rom.  i.  17.  iii.  5,  21,  22.  ix.  30,  31.  x.  3.  .1  Cor.  i.  30. 
2  Cor.  V.  21.     Philip,  iii,  9,     2  Pet.i.  i.     Matt,  vi,  33, 


6  A  fummary  View  of  the 

apter  explaining  ( as  They  conceived )  the 
Nature  of  ytijiification  -,  and  Some  have  pre- 
ferred the  other ^  for  the  hke  Reafons  c.  The 
general  Way  has  been  to  underfland  ytiftifica- 
tiori  as  a  Kind  of  Law-Term,  expreffing  2i  ju- 
dicial Tranfadlion.  Frotcjlants  of  every  De- 
nomination have  fet  Themfelves  to  defend  \\.^ : 
And  even  Romanijfs  alfo.  Many  of  1*hem, 
have  readily  fubmitted  to  it^.  So  that  the 
Word  ytiftijicatiofi,  in  this  View,  and  in  the 
a&i've  Senfe,  will  fignify  God's  pronouncing  'S^ 
Perfon  juji  and  his  accepting  Him  as  fuch  f  ; 
while,  in  ihtpajlve Senfe,  it  will  fignify  Mail's 
being  fo  declared^  and  thereupon  accepted  into 

new 


'^  "  It  is  indeed  to  be  granted,  that  Jujiification  importetli, 
*'  not  making  of  a  Man  righteous,  but  declaring  Him  and  ac- 
*'  counting  Him  righteous,  treating  Him,  and  dealing  with  Him 
*'  as  righteous  :  All  This  is  true  ;  and  yet  I  will  not  grant  that 
"  it  is  fo  properly  underftood  to  be  the  Aft  of  God  as  fitting 
*'  upon  the  Throne  of  Judgment  (whether  according  to  Mercy, 
"  or  Juftice)  as  the  Aft  of  God  contraSling  with  Man  for  ever- 
*'  lading  Life,  upon  Condition  of  fubmitting  to  the  Covenant  of 
**  Grace,  and  the  Terms  of  it."  Thomdike,  Epil.  5-  ii-  P-  40- 
Conf.  Pufendorf.  jus  fecial,  divin.  p.  144,  166,  172,  319,  349, 

353-   . 

**  Bifhop  y^«^;-ftu/s  Serm.  p.  76.  ivV/^,  p.  291.  Bilhop  .Ss//, 
p  411,  &c.  Frid.  Spanham.  Fil.  Tom.  iii.  p.  276.  Vitrmga, 
Obfervat.  Sacr.  Lib.  iv.  c.  x.  %.  vi,  &c.  Tom.  i.  p.  346.  Btui- 
deus.  Inftit.  Theol.  p.  95 1 .     Dtylingiiis.  Obf.  Sacr.  Tom.  iii.  561. 

*  ^'id.  GuL  Forbes,   Confid.  Modeft.  p.  9S.  edit.  2. 

^  Juftificatio  evangelica  qua?  Deum  Aiiitorem  refpicit,  definiri 
poteft,  Ai^ioDei  <\M7i  poenitentem  abfolvit,  propter  Mfr/V-a  Chri iii 
•viva  Fide  accepta  &  applicata.    Fogg.  Theolog.  Speculat.  Sche- 


DoBrlne  of  Juftification,         7 

new  Privileges,  and  his  enjoying  the  Benefits 
thereof  g.     So  much  for  the  Name, 

11. 

I  am  next  to  confider  What  the  Thing  grant- 
ed and  received,  really  is,  or  What  it  contains^ 

Here  We  are  to  obferve,  not  barely  What 
the  Word  it  felf  ftridtly  and  grammatically^- 
nijies,  but  what  it  Jiands  for,  and  mufl  {land 
for  as  made  ufe  of  in  this  particular  Cafe,  or 
in  fuch  and  fuch  Circumftances.  The  Evange- 
lical Notion  of  it  muft  be  govern'd  by  Evan- 
gelical Principles  :  It  is  a  complex Notionwhich 
takes  in  more  Ideas  than  the  Name  .would  ne- 
ceffarily  fignify  in  different  Cirdumjla7ices. 

I.  RemiJJion  of  Sins  is'mofh  certainly  one 
confiderable  Fart,  or  Ingredient  of  Evangelical 
fuftification  :  Not  that  the  Name,  abllradiedly 
confidered,  imports  it,  but  the  Nature  of  the 
Thing,  in  this  Cafe,  requires  it.  Had  our  Firfl 
Parents  preferved  their  Innocence  entire.  They 
would  have  been  thtrtu^on  jii/iified  as  inherently 
and  perfeBly  juji,  needing  no  Pardon  :  But 
Men  in  a  lapfed State,  being  All  of  Them  more 
or  lefs  Sinners,  cannot  be  accepted  as  Perfons 
T  4  who 

2  Si  coniideretur  (Juftificatio)  cum  llefpe£iu  ad  Conditionem 
Jufiificati,  eft  Mutatio  flatus,  quern  Relipifcens  obtinet  erga 
Deum,  unde  ceffante  reatu,  propter  Merita  Chrifti  minja  Fide 
applicata,  non  eft  Condemnationi  obnoxius.  Fogg,  Theol.  Spe- 
ed, p.  427,  428. 


S  A  fummary  View  of  the 

who  have  had  no  Sin,  but  as  Perfons  dlfcharged 
from  it.  I  need  not  here  fay,  how,  or  upon 
what  Account  5  becaufe  That  will  be  confider- 
ed  hereafter  in  its  proper  Place  :  But  in  the 
mean  Time  it  is  felf-evident,  that  the  'Jujli- 
jication  of  a  Sinner  muft  include  RemiJJion  of 
Sin.  I  may  add,  that  fueh  Kemijjion  of  Sin 
properly  fignifies  a  Difcharge  from  the  Penalty 
due  to  it  J  not  from  the  Blame  it  carries  with 
it  3  except  it  be  in  fuch  a  Senfe  as  Zacha- 
RiAS  and  Elisabeth  were  pronounced 
blamelefs  ^  j  for  fo  all  good  Chrijiians,  living  up 
to  the  Gofpel-Terms,  and  perfevering  to  the 
End,  will  be  pronounced  blamelefs  at  the  laft 
Day  :  And  fo  are  They  efteem'd  of  here,  in 
the  mean  Seafon,  by  God  who  fearches  the 
Hearts  ^ 

2.  But,  befides  RemiJJion  of  Sin ,  a  Right  and 
Title  to  Life  eternal,  but  founded  only  upon 
Promife^,  is  included  in  the  Gofpel-Notion  of 
Jiiflification  :  Not  that  the  bare  Force  of  the 
f^ord  requires  it  (for  a  Man  might  be  properly 

faid 

"  Luke  i.  6. 

'  Vid.  Grai>.  in  annotatis  ad  BuIII  Op.  p.  414-  Edit.  ult. 

^'  Debitor  enim  faftus  eft  [Deus]  non  aliquid  a  Nobis  accipi- 
endo,  fed  quod  Ei  placuit  promittendo.  Aliter  enim  dicimus 
Homini  deles  Mihi  quia  dcdi  Tibi  ;  &  aliter  dicimus,  debes  Mihi 

quia  promiJtJTi  Mihi. ■  lilo  ergo  Modo  poflumus  exigere  domi- 

num  noftrum,  ut  dicamus,  redde  quod  promiftjli,  quia  fecimus 
quod  jujjijii  :  Et  hoc  Tu  fecijli,  quia  Laborantes  juvifti.  Augu- 
jlin.  Serm.  clviii.  de  verbis  Apoft.  Rom.  viii.  p.  762.  Tom.  v. 
Edit.  Bened. 


DoSlrine  of  Juftification,         9 

faid  to  be  jujlified^  Who  is  acquitted  from  Pe- 
nalt)\  tho'  not  intitled  to  a  'Reward)  but  Wc 
know  what  the  Scriptii?'e-Pro?nife5  are  5  and 
that  a  Dijcharge  from  Pefialty  hath  thereby  a 
fure  T^'//^  /(?  Reivards  conneded  with  it  ; 
Therefore  Evangelical  'Jujlification  compre- 
hends according  to  the  full  Notion  of  it,  not 
only  a  liitle  to  Pardon^  but  a  'Title  to  Sahatio?2 
alfo,  a  Title  to  Both  for  the  Time  being  I 

3.  To  Thefe  fome  learned  Divines  have 
added  the  SanBification  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ^^ 
as  a  third  Ingredient,  to  compleat  the  Nature 
or  Notion  of  Jujiif  cation  :  But  that  Perfuali- 
on  is  fcarce  tenable,  unlefs  We  firfl  qualify  it 
with  proper  L>iflin6iions,  If  by  SanBification 
We  underftand  Re?20vation  of  the  i7i'ward'Wi2in^ 
'That  has  no  Place  in  the  Jujiification  of  J;^- 
fants  ;  befides  that  even  ^  Adults  it  is  rather 
a  Salification  for  the  Privilege,  than  the  Prt' 
milege  itfelf :  But  if  by  SanBification  of  the 
Spirit  be  meant  only  the  Baptifmal  UnBion,  or 
that  Sealing  of  the  »S//>z>  «,  which  goes  along 
with  all  njalid,  and  of  courfe  with  all  fiving 
Baptifm  °  j  That  indeed  muft  neceflarity  be 
fuppofed  in  all  Baptifmal  fufiification^   as  a 

Part 

^  VId.  Bull.  exam,  cenfur.  ad  Animadv.  in.  p.  537,  538. 

^  Vid.  G«/.  For^^j,  Corrild.  Modeft.  p.  118,  ^V, 

'^  See  Bingham  XL  1,6. 

^  See  Regeneration  Jiated,  Sec.  p.  28,  29. 


lO        A  fummary  View  of  the 

Part  of  it,  or  an  Ingredient  in  it  -,  inafmuch 
as  yujiificatiori  cannot  be  conceived  without 
fome  Work  of  the  Spirit  in  conferring  a  Title 
to  Salvation.  In  This  Senfe,  Every  Perfon 
jufiifisd  is  ipfo  FaBo  fealed  and  confecrated  by 
the  Spirit  of  God.  But  the  Truth  of  this 
Matter  will  more  fully  appear  under  another 
Head  in  the  Sequel. 

III. 

Having  thus  briefly  coniidered  what  'Jufii^ 

Jication  is,  and  what  it  cojifai?is  j  I  proceed  to 

obferve  how  it  is  diJlinguiflS d  from  Renovation 

and  Regeneration,  to  Both  which  it  is  indeed 

very  nearly  allied. 

I.  By  Renovation  I  underfland  the  inward 
renewing  of  the  Heart  and  Mind  "^  ;  the  fame 
that  commonly  goes  under  the  Name  of  in- 
ward SanBijication  of  the  Spirit,  This  is  ne- 
ceiTarily  pre-fuppofed,  in  fome  Meafure  or 
Degree,  with  refpeft  to  Adults,  in  their  'Jujliji- 
cation  j  becaufe  without  Holinefs  noMan  jlmll  fee 
the  Lord^,  no  Man  fliall  be  entitled  to  Salvati- 
on ;  that  is  to  fay,  no  Man  jujiijied.  But  tho* 
This  Confideration  fufficiently  proves  that 
San5lijication  aad  yujlijication  are  near  allied -y 
yet  it  does  not  prove  that  they  are  the  fame 
Thing,  or  that  one  is  properly  Part  of  the 

other. 

P  See  IRegeneration  Jlateci,  See.  p,  1 7,  Sec, 
^  liebr.  xii.  14.  . 


DoEirim  of  Juffificatlon.       if 

other.  An  ejjentml  Salification  for  any  0/1 
fice^  Foft^  Dignity^  or  Privilege,  muft  be  fup- 
pofed  to  go  alo??g  with  that  Ojice,  Pofi,  &c. 
But  ilill  the  Notio?is  are  very  difiifiB,  while 
the  'Things  themfelves  are  in  Fad:  conneSied  of 
Courfe.  So  ftands  the  Cafe  between  SanBif.- 
cation  and  Jujlification  :  The  One  is  a  Capacity 
for  fuch  a  Grant ;  the  Other  is  the  ^'^ry  Grant 
it  Self :  The  One  is  an  infufed  and  inherent 
^ality,  God's  Work  within  us ;  the  other  an 
outward  Privilege  J  or  extrin/ick  Relation^  God's 
gracious  Ad:  towards  us.  in  £hort,  SaftSlif.ca- 
tion  denotes  the  Frame  of  Mi?jd,  the  holy  Dif- 
poiition  ;  while  fuftification  denotes  the  State 
which  a  Man  is  in  with  Refpect  to  God,  his 
Di/charge  from  Guilt  and  Penalty,  his  Chrifl.ian 
MemberJInp,  his  heavenly  Citizenfip,  his  Gofpel- 
Rights,  PleaSj  and  Privileges. 

Again  :  SanBificatio7i  is  commonly  under- 
flood  of  the  Mind,  or  Sotil  only  5  while  JuJ^ 
tification  is  of  the  whole  Man.  The  Title 
which  the  Body  hath  to  a  future  RefurrcSiion 
or  Redemption,  is  included  in  the  very  Notion 
of  a  jujlified  Man. 

It  may  be  further  noted,  tkat  fifiification 
may  he  fuppofed,^  where  San^lification  (according 
to  the  full  Notion  thereof)  is  ?iof -,  as  in  the 
Cafe  of  Infants  newly  baptized  :    They  are 

indeed 


12        A  fummary  View  of  the 

indeed  thereby  Jandiijied  in  a  certain  Serife  y 
but  not  in  the  Senfe  of  a  proper  Renewal  of 
Mind  and  Heart,  Thefe  Confiderations  fuffi- 
ciently  mark  out  the  Difference  between  'Jujii" 
Jication  and  SanBijication. 

2.  I  am  next  to  obferve,  how  yujiijication 
differs  from  Regeneration.  They  differ  but 
little  as  to  the  ?7jain  Tubings  \  fince  the  Grants 
made,  and  the  BleJJings  conferred,  are  much  the 
fame  in  Both  :  But  ftill  there  is  fome  Differ- 
ence, and  that  both  notional  and  real. 

So  far  as  the  main  Tubings  are  xht  fame^ 
They  are  however  exprefs'd  under  different 
Figures  :  For  in  Regeneration,  God  is  confider- 
ed  as  a  Fatber  begetting  us  into  a  new  Life  of 
Light,  Bleflings,  and  Privileges :  But  in  Jujii^ 
Jication^  He  is  coniidered  either  as  a  Proprietor 
making  over  the  f^m^  Grants,  or  as  a  'Judge 
giving  favourable  Sentence  from  the  Throne 
of  Mercy. 

Another  Difference  is,  that  Regeneration,  in 
the  ftri(ft  Senfe,  exprefles  no  more  than  the 
iirfi  Admittance  and  Entrance  into  fuch  and 
fuch  Rights  and  Privileges  ;  and  therefore 
comes  but  ojict^ :  But  yujiijication  is  a  Thing 
continued  ^  during  the  whole  Spiritual  Life  : 

One 

"^  Vid.  Gill  Tories,  p.  261.     BtdU  Op.  p.  437.     And  compare 
my  'RevU'VJ  of  the  Doiirbu  of  the  Eucharijly  p.  325,  330,  345, 


DoElrim  of  Juftification.       13 

One  is  giving  and  receiving  Life  5  The  Other 
is  giving  and  receiving  Growth  and  Increafe, 

A  third  Difference  is,  that  Regefieration^  im 
the  ftrifter  Senfe  s  of  that  Name,  may  admit 
of  the  Diftindion  of  Salutary,  and  not  Saluta^ 
ry  :  Whereas  yujiification  admits  not  of  that 
Diftindion  at  all,  being  faliitary  in  the  '■oery 
Notion  of  it,  as  it  imports  a  Right  and  ^itle  to 
Salvation,  for  the  Time  being,  on  the  Go/pel- 
'Terms, 

A  fourth  Difference  is,  that  Regeneration ^ 
once  given  and  received,  can  never  be  totally 
loji,  any  more  than  Baptifm,  nor  ever  want  to 
be  reiterated,  in  the  whole  Thing  t :  But  'Jufii- 
Jication  may  be  granted  and  accepted,  and  take 
Place  for  a  Time,  and  yet  may  ceafe  after- 
wards, both  totally  and  Jinally  ".     Thefe  feve- 

ral 

®  Of  the  ftriBer  and  /arj-^r  Senfe  of  the  Word  Regeneration^ 
fee  Regeneration  ftated^  p.  i8,  19,  27,  30. 

St.  ^a/?/«  followed  the  ftriBer  Senfe  when  He  faid  :  Simon 
ille  Magus  natus  erat  ex  Aqua  &  Spiritu,  Tom.  ix.  p.  169, 

In  another  Place,  He  followed  the  larger  Senfe,  which  takes 
in  Renovation  to  compleat  the  Notion  of  Regeneration  confider- 
ed  as  falutary. 

Qui  natus  eft  ex  Deo  habet  Caritatem  —  videat  ii  habeat  Cari- 

tatem,  &  tunc  dicat,  natus  fum  ex  Deo. Habeat  Caritatem  ; 

aliter  non  fe  dicat  natum  ex  Deo.    Auguftin.  Tom.  iii.  Part  ii. 

P-859- 

Hence  it  appears,  that,  as  the  Word  Faith  fometimes  fignifies 
fimply  Faith,  and  fometimes  fwving  Faith,  fo  the  Word  Rege- 
neration admits  of  the  like  twofold  Meaning. 

'  See  Regeneration  ftated.  Sec.  p.  9,  12,  16,  17,  26,  30. 

"  See  Article  XVI'".  And  Homily  on  good  Works,  p.  49. 
Compare  Bulli  Op.    p.  668.     Auguftan  Conf.  c.  xi.     Tru?nan. 

Great 


1 4         A  fummary  View  of  the 

ral  Articles  of  Differende  fufficiently  fhew  that 
the  Names  are  not  tantamount,  but  that  they 
iland  for  Things  different  5  fnnilar  in  Jbme  Re- 
fpects  only,  not  in  all, 

IV. 

Having  confidered  what  yujiification  is,  and 
how  diJlingiiiJlS d,  I  may  now  pafs  on  to  enquire 
into  its  conjlituent  Caufes,  principal  and  lefs  prin- 
cipal, efficient  and  injirumental^  divifje  and  hu" 
man,  and  the  hke  :  For  there  ^vq  feveral  Cau- 
Jes,,  more  or  lefs  contributing  to  the  Jiiftifica- 
pon  of  a  Perfon  j  that  is,  to  the  making  Him 
.a  Jure  "Title  to  Sahaiion  for  the  Time  being. 

1.  God  the  Father  is  here  to  be  confidered 
as  Principal,  as  He  is  the  Head  and  Fountain 
of  all.  Of  That  there  can  be  no  Queftion, 
and  therefore  I  need  not  fay  more  of  it :  The 
divi?2e  Phila7tthropy  is  of  prime  Cojylderation  m 
the  whole  Thing. 

2.  In  the  next  Place,  God  the  Son  is  here  to 
be  confidered  as  the  procuring  and  meritorious 

Caiife 

■Great  Propit.  p-i^"^,  17S.  i%v//??.  Hiflor.  Quinquartic.  Part  i. 
p.  17,  28,  33,  86.   Partiii.  p.  31,  &c. 

The  Senfe  of  our  Church  on  this  Head,  is  manifeft  from  this 
/xngie  Conlideration  ;  that  She  looks  upon  it  as  certain  hy  God's 
.  Word,  tliat  all  C/.n/dren  baptixed  are  fo  far  jufiified,  inaftnuch 
as  if  They  die  before  adual  Sir.,  They  are  undoubtedly  faved. 
Now  it  cannot  be  doubted  but  that  many  Who  have  been  bapti- 
zed in  Infaficy,  may,  and  do  fall  afterwards,  both  totally  and 
finally  :  .Therefore  our  Church  muft  of  Confcqucnce  allow  and 
(v.ppofe,  that  Fer/ons  once  jujUfiui  may  totally  zxAfnally  perifli. 

Si. 


DoBrim  of  Juftification.       1 5 

Caufe  of  Mans  Juftification,  both  by  his  active 
and /"^^w  Obedience  w.  This,  though  it  may- 
be difputed  by  fuch  as  will  difpute  any  Thing, 
or  every  Thing,  yet  feems  to  be  generally  ad- 
mitted among  the  fober  Divines  of  all  the  great 
Divifions  of  Chriftians. 

3.  In  the  third  Place,  God  the  Holy  Ghoft  is 
here  to  be  confidered  as  the  immediate^  efficient 
Caufe :  For  Proof  of  w^hich.  We  need  go  no 
farther  than  our  Lord's  own  Words,  that,  ex- 
cept one  6e  born  of  Water  and  of  the  Spirit^  He 
cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God  ^  ;  which 
is  as  much  as  to  fay.  He  cannot  have  a  Hitle 
to  Salvation,  c^innotht  juftified.  Neither  need 
we  here  put  in  the  Reflridion,  ordinarily  fo 
far  as  the  Spirit  is  concern'd :  His  immediate 
Agency  muft  be  fuppofed,  in  all  Cafes ^  and  upon 
every  Siippofition. 

4.  After  the  three  Divine  Perfons,  princi- 
pally concurring  and  co-operating  in  Man's 
fiiftification.  We  may  next  pafs  on  to  th&Jub- 
ordinate  Inftruments :  And  here  come  in  the 
Miniftry,  the  Word,  and  the  Sacraments  7;  but 

more 

^^  See  Gul.  Tories  Confider.  Modeft.  p.  67,  &c.  Thorndike 
Epil.  Book  ii.  p.  254,  &c.     Pufendorf.  Jus  Fecial,  p.  1 87. 

^  John  iii.  5.     comp.  i  Cor,  vi.  1 1.  xii.  13.     Tit.  iii.  5,  6,  7. 

y  Sacramenta  funt  Media  ciFerentia  &  exhibentia  ex  Parte  Dei; 
Fides  Medium  recipiens  &  apprehendens  ex  Parte  nojira.  Ger- 
hard. Loc.  Ccmm.  Part  IV.  p.  309. 

Tantuin  dicimus,  ^uemadmodum  Fj^s  eft  cjuafx  Manus  nojira, 

<iua 


1 6        A  fmnmary  View  of  the 

more  particularly  the  Sacrament  of  Baptifm  5 
which  perhaps  may  here  deferve  a  large  and 
diJimSf  Confideration,  as  it  has  been  too  often 
emittedy  or  but/>^r/z^^<^^r//>^mention'd,  in  Trea- 
tifes  written  upon  the  Subjed;  of  yujlification. 
If  We  look  either  into  the  New  Tejiament^ 
or  into  the  ancimt  Father s.^  We  fliall  there  find 
that  the  Sacrament  of  Baptifm ,  conlidered  as  a 
Federal  Rite  or  T^ranfaBion  between  God  and 
Man,  is  either  declared  or  fuppofed  the  ordi- 
nary, neceflary,  outward  Ltfirunmit  in  God's 
Hands  of  Man's  yujiification :  I  fay,  an  In- 
ilrument  in  God's  Hands,  becaufe  it  is  certain, 
that  in  that  facred  Rite,  God  Himf elf  bears  a 
Part  ^j  as  Man  alfo  bears  His  -,  and  that  in  both 
Sacraments  (as  our  Church  teaches)  God  em» 
braces  Us^  and  offer eth  Himf  elf  to  be  embraced 
by  Us^.  According  to  the  natural  Order  of 
Precedency y  the  authorized  MiJiiftry  is  firfl  in 
Confideration^;  the  ^«?r^  next  j  \S\t\\  hearings 
-2.v\.^  believing  with  a  penitent  Heart,  and  lively 
Faith ;  after  That,  Baptifm,  and  therein  the 
firft  folemn  and  certain  Reception  of  ynjiifica' 

tioUy 

<jtta  Nos  qujBriraus  &  accipimas  ;  Sic  Verhtttn  Sc  Sacratmnta  efle 
quafi  Manus  Dei,  quibus  Is  nobis  ofFert  &  confert  quod   Fide  a 
.  nobis  petitur   &  accipitur.     VoJJius  de  Sacram.  Vi  &  EiBc.  Op. 
Tom.  vi.  p.  252. 

'  See  Hevienv  of  the  DoSIrineof  the  Eiichartji,  p.  1 6,  ^7,  &c» 
^  Homily  on  the  Common  Prayer  and  Sacroiiients,  p   J70, 
*•  Rom.  X.  13, 14,  15.     Tit  i.  3. 


DoBrine  of  juftification,        1 7 

tkn,  which  is  afterwards  continued  by  the  fame 
lively  Faith^  and  the  Ufe  of  the  Word,  and  of 
the  other  Sacrament, 

Now,  as  to  Baptifm,  and  its  being,  ordina- 
rily, the  neceffary  outward  Mean  or  Injiriiment 
of  Jujiijicatiojiy  the  imtnediate  and  proximate 
Form  and  Rite  of  Conveyance ;  That  will  be  ea- 
iily  made  appear  from  many  clear  Texts  of  the 
New  Tejl anient ,  as  alfo  from  the  concurring 
Verdid:  of  Antiquity,  the  befl  Interpreter  of 
the  facred  Writings, 

Firji.  The  'Texts  I  fhall  here  take  in  their 
Order.  He  that  believeth,  and  is  baptized^  Jhall 
be  favedh  but  He  that  beJieveth  not,  fiall  be  dara^ 
ned^.  Here  the  Word  faved  amounts  to  the 
fame  Thing  in  the  main^#th  jujiified^  being 
oppofed  to  condemned ^tm^  it  i^farther  obfer- 
vable,  that  the  ^d'/^j^^^ft^jaiuft  be  under- 
flood  of  a  lively  ^^^^^H^HTlg^^'  dhne  is  not 
faid  to  fave,  or  /V^^^PWt  wti  the  Addition 
of  Baptifm,  c^fftb  and  with  ihe^li  of  Baptijin  : 
For,  whateY*fome  may  please  to  teach  of 
Faith  only  ^^$ufiijying,  the  exclujive  Term,  moil 
certainly,  is  not  to  be  underftood  in  Oppoli- 
tion,  either  to  the  Work  of  the  Father,  or  of 
the  Son,  or  of  the  Holy  Ghojl  -,  or  to  the  {land- 
ing Means  of  Conveyance  which  They  have 

Vol.  II.  U  chofen. 

«  Markxvi.  i6^ 


j[8       A  fummary  Vkw  of  the 

chofen.  The  warmeft  Contenders  for  Faith 
alone^  are  content  to  admit  that  the  exclufive 
Term,  albney  is  oppofed  only  to  every  Thing 
elfe  on  Mans  Fart  in  jujitfying^  not  to  any 
Thing  on  God's  Tart :  Now,  I  have  already 
noted  that  Baptifm  is  an  Jnjlriment  in  God\ 
Hand,  who  bears  his  "Part  in  it  j  and  therefore 
Baptifm^  in  this  View,  relates  to  God's  Fart  in 
jujiifyingi  and  not  to  Mans,  It  is  not  indeed 
faid  in  the  Text  juft  cited,  that  He  who  is  not 
baptized  fliall  be  damned,  as  it  is  faid  of  Him, 
who  believeth  not.  God  referves  to  Himfelf  a 
Liberty  of  difpenjing  in  that  Cafe.  At  the  fame 
time.  He  has  made  no  Fromife,  or  Covenant  to 
jiijiify  Any  One  without  tl:e  Ufe  of  Baptifm  : 
So  that  ftill  Baptifm  mufl  s^'^  look'd  upon  as  the 
ordinary  ftanding  In^fijmm-  nt  of  'Juftification  on 
God's  Fart  j  and  W?lia^  no  certain  Warrant 
for  declaring  any  one  lufijicd  iiidcpendently 
of  it.  ^^^^  ' 

The  next  refharkablc  1  >x:  is,  except  one  be 
born  of  Water  and  of  the  Spirit,  He  cannot  en- 
ter into  the  Kingdom  of  God^c.  ..  ,  be  King- 
dom of  God^.  Where  We  may  obferve,  that 
born  again  in  the  2.^  Verfe,  is  interpreted  of 
Baptifm,  (Sign  and  ^Thing  fgnified)  in  the  5^^ . 
and  the  emphatical  Word,  cannot,  is  twice 

made 

*  John  iii.  3,  5.    See  Regtneratmjlated,  Sec,  p.  3. 


DoFirim  of  Juftification        1 9 

made  Ufe  of  in  That  Cafe.  What  Room  then 
is  there  left  for  pretending  any  dired:  and  po- 
fitive  Fromife  from  God  ^ojiiftijy  Any  Man  be-^ 
fore  J  or  without  that  ordinary  Mean  "^  Say  that 
Faith  is  our  hifiniment  for  receiving  Jufcifica- 
tion,  which  is  faying  enough  j  flill  Baptifm 
mud  be  God's  Injlrument^  ordinarily,  for  ap- 
plying or  conferring  it,  in  Virtue  of  what  our 
Lord  Himfelf,  in  that  Place,  has  twice  fo- 
lemnly  declared.     But  I  pais  on. 

In  the  Second  of  the  ABsy  We  read  thefe 
Words  of  St.  Peter  to  the  Jews  of  That 
Time :  Repent  and  be  baptized  E'very  One  of 
Tou  in  the  Name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the 
Remifion  of  Sins,  and  Tefiall  receive  the  Gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  ^     Now,  it  is  to  be  noted, 
that  true  Repentance  in   fuch  Cafe  prefuppojes 
fome  Degrees  of  prep^a^TV  Grace  and  lively. 
Faith  i,  and  yet  jBj/>r'//l%'as  to  intervene  too^ 
in  Order  to"  Remi[foK  that  is,  in  Order  to  Juf 
tif cation,  and  tht  Gilt,  of  the  in-dwelling  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

So  again  in  the  Cafe  of  St.  Paul,  at  his 
Converfion  to  Chriftianity ;  He  had  been  a 
true  Believer  from  the  Time  when  He  faid. 
Lord,  what  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do^?  But  He 
was  not  yet  jufified:    His  Sins  remained   in 

Vol.  II.  U  2  Charge 

«  Aasii.  38.  [  Aasix.  9. 


20       A  fummary  Fiew  of  the 

Charge  for  three  Days  2\  leaft  longer :  For,  it 
was  fo  long  before  Ananias  came  to  Him, 
and  faid,  Anfe  and  be  baptized,  and  wajh  away 
thy  Sins,  calling  on  the  Name  of  the  Lord%, 
Baptifm  was  at  length  his  grand  Abjolution,  his 
Pate?it  of  Pardon,  his  Injirnrnent  of  yitflifica- 
tion  granted  Him  from  Above :  neither  was 
He  juftijled  till  He  received  That  Divine  Seal, 
in  as  much  as  his  Sins  were  upon  Him  ////  that 
n)ery  Time, 

Pafs  We  on  to  the  Epiftle  to  the  "Romans^ 
where  St.  Paul  fays^  know  ye  not,  that  fo  many 
of  lis  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were 
baptized  into  his  Death,  (that  is,  into  a  Parti- 
cipation of  the  Death  and  Merits  of  Christ, 
thro'  which  alfo  We  die  unto  Sin)  Therefore 
We  are  buried  with  Him  by  Baptifm  into  Death  ^  .• 
In  Baptifm  is  the  f^ijj||formal  folemn  Death 
unto  Siny  in  ih^  plen^  Kemifjion  of  it  5  which 
comes  to  the  fame  as  to  fay,  that  there  alfo 
commences  our  Jujiif  cation  en#i^:  All  before 
was  but  preparatory  to  it,  as  Cc^eption  is  to  the 
Birth  K 

The 

s  A6ls  xxii.  16. 

^  Rom.  vi.  3,  4.    See  Wolfim  in  Loc. 

*  Fiunt  ergo  Inchoatioms  quacdam  Fidei,  Concepi'milhia  nmlles  : 
Non  tamen  folum  concipi^  fed  etiam  nafci  Opus  eft,  ut  ad  Vitam 
perveniatur  sternam. 

Augujlin.  de  Diverf. Qusell.  ad  Simplic.  L.I.  p.  89.  Tom.  VI. 


DoEirim  of  Juftification.        21 

The  fame  St.  Paul  fays  ;  By  one  Spirit  are 
We  All  baptized  into  one  Body  ^.    Now,  if  We  /„ 

are  firfl:  incorporated  into  the  myjiical  Body  of         ^ 
Christ  hy  Baptifm,  it  is  manifeft  that  We  * 

are  there  alfo  firfl  jujlijied :  For,  no  Man 
ftridly  belongs  to  Christ  till  He  is  incorpo^ 
rated',  neither  is  Any  Oxi^  jujlijied  before  He  is 
incorporated,  and  made  a  Member  of  Christ, 
a  Citizen  of  Heaven. 

St.  Paul  alfo  faysj  Te  are  All  the  Children 
of  God  by  Faith  in  Christ  Jesus:  For,  as 
Many  of  You  as  have  been  baptized  into  Ch  r  ist, 
have  put  on  Ch  r  i  s  t  ^.  Words  very  obfervable, 
as  plainly  intimating,  that  ordinarily  a  Perfon 
is  not  made  a  Child  of  God  by  Faith,  till  that 
Faith  is  exerted  in,  and  perfeSfedhy,  Baptifm . — ■ 
Faith  in  Adults,  is  the  Hand  v^^hereby  They  re- 
ceive  the  Privilege  of  Adoption  and  fiiflification', 
while  the  Sacrament  is  the  Hand  whereby  God 
difpenfes  it. 

God  is  the  Donour ',  and  He  can  difpenfe 
the  Grace  to  Some  without  Faith,  as  to  Infants  -, 
and  to  Others  without  Baptifm,  as  to  Martyrs 
principally,  and  to  Catechumens  prevented  by 
Extremities :  But  llill  the  ordinary  Rule  is, 
firfl  to  difpenfe  it  upon  a  true  and  lively  Faith, 
U  3  fealed 

fe  I  Cor.  xli.  13.     See  my  Re^vu'vj,  &c.  p.  367,  &c. 
*  Gal.  iii.  26,  z/t 


21        A  ftimmary  View  of  the 

fealed  with  the  Stipidatio?2s  mutually  pafs'd  In 
Baptifm. 

So  again.  We  read  In  the  Epiftle  to  the 
Ephejians,  as  follows :  Christ  alfo  loved  the 
Churchy  mid  gave  Himfelf  for  it-,  that  He  might 

JanBify  and  cleaiife  it  with  the  wajking  of  Water  ^ 
by  the  Word^  j  That  is,  by  the  Words  ufed  in 
the  Form  of  Baptifm,  as  St.  Chrysostom  in- 
terprets ".     If  then  Baptifn  is  the  ordinary  In- 

Jlnanenf  wht\:QhY  Christ  cleajifes  the  Mem- 
bers of  his  Church}  by  thtjdme  He  mufi:  be 
fuppofed  to  jujiify  Them ;  as  clearfmg  and  juf- 
tifying  are  Words  of  like  Import,  in*  this  Cafe, 
meaning  ih^fame  with  Rcmiffion  of  Sins ^  which 
is  one  great  Part  of  fiiflfcation. 

St.  Paul  elfewhere  fpeaks  of  his  new  Con- 
verts, as  putting  off  the  Body  of  the  Sins  of  the 
Flefi  by  Qhriflian  Circumcifion,  that  is,  Baptifm, 
buried  with  Christ  in  Baptfm,  and  r if  en  with 
Him  thro'  the  Faith  of  the  Operation  of  God, — 
having  all  their  TrefpaJJ'es  forgiven  Them^. 
IWhat  is  This  but  faying,  that  They  werejuf 

tified, 

^  Ephef.  V.  25,  26.  Significatur  heic  omnino  Baptifmus,  verbo 
junftus,  tanquam  Injirumentum  Purificationis.  Woljius  in  Loc. 
Compare  Pear/on  on  the  Creed,  Art.  X.  p.  368. 

"^  Chryfojlom  in  Loc.  Tom.  XI.  p,  145.  item  Damafcen.  in  Loc. 
Op.  Tom  II.  p.  190. 

**  Colqf.n.  II,  12,  13.  See  JVo/Jiuf  m  Loc.  Wa//.  Hift.  of 
Infant.  Bapt.  Part  I.  c.  ii.  Defence,  p.  269,  &C.  Blackball 
Sacr.  Clailicks,  Tom.  II.  p.  189. 


DoEtrim  of  Juftification.        23 

tified^  inftrumentally,  by  Baptifm  ?  The  fame 
Thing  is,  at  the  fame  Time,  faid  to  be  brought 
about  by  Faith  ^  (which  is  indeed  the  Inftru- 
ment  of  Reception  on  Man's  Part,  as  Baptifm  is 
of  Conveyance,  on  God's  Part)  but  ftill  That 
very  Faith  is  fuppofed  to  be  exerted  in,  and 
compleated  by,  Baptifm^  before  it  jufiijies^  fo 
far  as  it  dotsjujiify. 

I  proceed  to  a  noted  Text  in  the  Epiftle  to 
Titus  :  Not  by  Works  of  Righteoufnefs,  which 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  Mercy  Hefaved 
lis  by  the  wafting  of  Regeneration,  and  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghoft  — ^  that  being  jiiflified  by  his 
Grace,  we  foould  be  made  Heirs  according  to  the 
Hope  of  eternal  Life  q.  It  is  manifeft,  by  com- 
paring the  three  Verfes  together,  that  Baptifm 
is  here  made  the  Mean  thro'  which,  or  the  In- 
firument  by  which,theHi?/y«S/'/r/V  of  God  work- 
eth  Regeneration,  Renovation,  and  fifiification  j 
and  that  "Juftification,  the  lafl  named,  is,  in 
Order  of  Nature  (tho'  not  in  Order  of  Hime) 
the  laft  of  the  Three,  as  the  Refult  of  the  two 
former,  in  the  fame  Work  of  Grace,  in  the 
U  4  fame 

P  A»«  rij?  'RrirEw?  t^;  wEfyeia?  t5  Qss.  Ea  infertur  Efficacia  8c 
Virtus  Dei,  quae  Fidem  in  Coloffenfibus  procrearit,  fimilis  illi, 
qua  Chriftum  excitavit  ex  mortuis.    Wolf,  in  Loc. 

^  Tit.  iii.  5,  6,  7.  Compare  Regeneration  fiated,  upon  thig 
Text.  De  Baptiimo  ha:c  accipienda  effe  Patres  crediderunt :  — ?? 
Nee  aliter  Interpretes  recentiores  tantura  non  Omnes.  WoJfti^ 
ad  Loc.  '  . 


24       A  fummary  View  of  tho. 

fame  Federal  Solemnity.  It  may  be  noted 
by  the  Way,  that  Baptifm^  in  this  Text,  is 
not  confidered  as  a  IFork  of  Man^  but  as  an 
Injirnment^  Rite,  or  Federal  '[CranfaBion  be- 
tween God  and  Man» 

In  the  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  we  read  thus: 
And  having  an  High-Priejl  over  the  Houfe  of 
God,  let  lis  draw  near  with  a  true  Heart,  infidl 
Ajjurance  of  Faith,  having  our  Hearts  fprinkled 
from  an  evil  Confcience,  and  our  Bodies  wafied 
with  pure  Water :  Let  us  holdfajl  the  FrofefiGn 
cf  our  Faith  \  &c.  In  thefe  few  Words  are 
pointed  out  the  meritorious  CauJ'e  o£,our  fujiifi- 
cation,  exprefs'd  by  the  ^r  ink  ling,  viz.  with  the 
Blood  of  Christ,  in  Ailufion  to  the  Blood  of 
the  ancient  Sacrifices  ;  the  injlrumental  Mean  of 
Conveyance,  Baptifm,  exprefs'd  by  the  wafiing 
of  our  Bodies  J  and  the  itiflrumental  Mean  of 
Reception,  exprefs'd  by  the  Word  Faith.  The 
Merits  of  Christ,  applied  in  Baptifm  by  the 
Spirit,  and  received  by  a  lively  Faith,  com- 
pleat  our  Jufiification,  for  the  Time  being.  I 
know  not  whether  the  Apoflle\  here  laying  fo 
much  ftrefs  upon  our  Bodies  being  wajhed  with 
pure  Wafer,  might  not,  among  feveral  other 
iimilar  Confiderations  drawn  from  the  New 
^ejiament^  lead  the  early  Fathers    into   a 

Thought 

y  Heb.  X.  z\,  22,  23, 


DoEirine  of  Juftification.        25 

Thought  which  They  had,  and  which  has  not 
been  fo  commonly  obferved  5  namely,  that  the 
Application  of  Water  in  Baptifm  fecured  as  it 
were,  or  fealed  the  Body  to  an  happy  Refurrec-- 
tion :  while  the  Spirit  more  immediately  fe- 
cured the  Soul ;  and  fo  the  whole  Man  was  un- 
derftood  to  be  fpiritually  cleanfed^  and  accepted 
of  God,  in  and  by  Baptifm  s.  They  had  alfo 
the  like  Thought  with  refped:  to  the  Elements 
of  the  other  Sacrament,  as  appointed  by  God 
for  infiiring  the  Body  to  an  happy  RejurreBion 
along  with  the  Soul  ^  Whether  that  ancient 
Rationale  of  the  two  Sacraments  be  not,  at  leaft, 
as  good  as  any  modern  Ones,  I  leave  to  be  con- 
lidered,  and  pafs  on. 


St. 

'  The  Thought  is  thus  exprefs'd  by  an  eminent  father  of  the 
feco7id  Century  : 

Corpora  enim  noftra  per  Lavacrum  illam  quae  eft  ad  Incorrup- 
tionem  Unitatem  acceperunt ;  Anima  autem  per  SpMtum :  Unde 
&  utraque  neceffaria,  cum  utraque  proficiunt  ad  Vitam  Dei,  ^c. 
Irenaus  L.  I.  c.  xvii.  p.  208.  Edit.  Bened.     Compare 

Tertullian  de  Baptifmo,  c.  iv.  p.  225.     De  Anima,  C.  xl.  p.  294, 

Cyrill  Hierofol.  Catech,  III.  p.  41. 

Nazianze7i  Orat.  XL.  p.  641. 

Hilariiis  Pi£t.  in  Matt.  p.  660.  Edit.  Bened. 

Nyjfenus  Orat.  de  Bapt.  Chrifti,  p.  369% 

Cyrill  A\tx.  in  Joann.  L.  II.  p.  147. 

Ammonius  in  Catena  in  Joann.  p.  89. 

Damafcen,  de  Fid.  Orthodoxa,  L.  IV.  c.  ix.  p.  260. 

*  Iren^us,  L.  IV.  c.  xviii.  p.  251.     L.  V.  c.  ii.  p.  293,  294. 

Tertullian  de  Refurr.  Carnis,  c.  viii.  p.  330. 

Cyrill  Hierofol.  Myftag.  IV.  p.  321. 

Pa/chajtus  de  Corp.  Si  Sangu.  Domini,  c.  xix.  p.  i^oz. 


25       A  fummary  View  of  the 

St.  Peter  fays,  Baptifm  doth  alfo  nowfave 
ns;  not  the  putting  away  of  the  Filth  of  the  Flejhy 
but  'The  Anfwer  [Stipulation]  of  a  good  Confci- 
€7ice  towards  God^  by  the  RefurreBion  of  fefus 
Chrift «. — What  I  have  hereupon  to  obferve  is, 
that  Baptifm  faves :  That  is,  it  gives  a  juft 
Title  to  Salvation  -,  which  is  the  fame  as  to  fay, 
that  it  conveys  fujlification.  But  then  it  muft 
be  underflood  not  of  the  outward  Wajhing,  but 
of  the  inwardy  lively  Faith,  Jlipidated  in  it,  and 
l>y  it.  Baptifm  concurs  with  Faith,  and  Faith 
with  Baptifm,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  with  Both  ; 
and  fo  the  Merits  of  Christ  are  favingly  ap- 
plied. Faith  alone  will  not  ordinarily  ferve  in 
this  Cafe  ;  but  it  muft  be  a  contraSlijig  Faith 
on  Mans  Fart,  contracting  in  Form,  corre- 
fponding  to  the  Federal  Promifes  and  Engage- 
ments on  God's  Fart :  Therefore  Tertul- 
LI  AN  rightly  ftiles  Baptifm  O^^;^^//^?  Fidei^^ 
Tejiatio  Fidei,  Sponfo  Salutis  ^,  Fidei  PaBio  y, 
and  the  like.  But  I  fhall  fay  more  on  the 
Head  oi  Faith  in  a  diflinft  Article  below. 

There  is  yet  another  very  obfervable  Text, 
which  might  have  come  in,  in  its  Place  5  But 

I  chofe 

*  I  Pet.  iii.  21.     See  my  Re'vie-iv,  c.  xi.  p.  434,  435. 

*  TertuUian  de  Pcenit.  c.  vi.  p.  125.    Conf.  de  Refurr.  Carn» 
C.xlviii.  p.  355". 

^  TertuUian  de  Bapt.  c.  vi.  p.  226. 
y  TertuUian  dc  Pudicit,  c.  ix.  p.  562, 


DoEirine  of  Juftification.        27 

I  chofe  to  referve  it  to  the  laft,  for  the  wind- 
ing up  this  Summary  View  of  the  Scripture-Doc^ 
trine  on  this  Head.  It  runs  thus :  Such  were 
Some  of  Ton  :  But  Te  were  wafied  (viz.  in  Bap^ 
tifm)  but  Te  were  fanBified  ^  but  Te  were  jujiijied 
in  the  Name  of  the  Lordjefus^  and  by  the  Spirit 
of  our  God^,  I  think  it  better  to  render  it 
werey  or  have  been,  than  are,  as  befl  fuiting 
with  the  Original,  and  with  the,  were,  jufl  go- 
ing before ;  But  the  Senfe  is  much  the  fame 
either  Way.  Here  are  three  co?icurrent  Caufes  of. 
yujlif  cation  (together  with  SanBification)  men- 
tion'd  together  :  Viz.  The  meritorious  Caufe, 
the  Lord  fefus ;  the  efficient  and  operating 
Caufe,  The  Spirit  of  our  God;  and  the  injiru- 
mental'R.itQofCo?2veya?2ce,  Baptifm.  Fromthefe 
feveral  PafTages  of  the  New  Heftament  laid  to- 
gether, it  fufficiently  appears,  not  only  that 
Baptifm  is  the  ordinary  Inflrument  in  God's 
Hands  for  conferring  jujiification-,  but  alfo, 
that  ordinarily  there  is  no  Jujiification  conferred 
either  before  it,  or  without  it.  Such  Grace  as 
precedes  Baptifm,  amounts  not  ordinarily  to 
Juftification,  flridly  fo  called  ^ :  Such  as  fol- 
lows 

*  1  Cor.  vi.  1 1.  See  Woljim  in  Lcc.  Bull.  Op.  Lat.  p.  411, 
422. 

»  Vid.  Auguftin.  de  diverf.  Q^ad  SImplic.  L.  I.  p.  89.  T>  VL 
item  Epift.  CXCIV.  p.  720.   Tom.  II. 

And  compare  Regeneration JlatedjSiQ.  p.  13. 


28        A  fummary  View  of  th 

lows  it,  owes  it's  force,  in  a  great  Meafure,  to 
the  ftanding  Virtue  of  Baptijm  once  given  ^, 

Secondly.  To  confirm  what  has  been  here 
proved  from  Scripture^  or  rather  to  iliew  the 
more  plainly  that  we  are  not  miflaken  in  fo 
interpreting,  I  may  next  briefly  add  the  ^con- 
curring VerdiSl  of  the  Antienfs,  bearing  Tefli- 
mony  to  the  fame  Doftrine,  down  from 
St.  Barnabas  of  the  firft  Age,  about  the 
Year  jo,  to  the  End  of  the  IV^^  Century^  or 
later. 

Barnabas  declares  that  Baptiftn  procures 
Remijjion  of  Sins  ^ :  Therefore  it  procures  fujii- 
Jication.  He  declares  farther,  that  Men  de- 
fcend  into  the  Water  full  of  Sins  and  Pollutions: 
Therefore,  by  his  Account,  They  are  not  juf- 
tified^  ordinarily,  before  Baptifm.  Some  Mo- 
derns have  imagined  the  Ai2tie7its  built  their 
firi5i  Notions  of  the  Vfe  and  NeceJJity  of  Bap- 
tifm, upon  too  rigorous  a  Conftrudion  of 
John  iii.  5.  But  it  is  certain,  that  They  had 
thofe  ftrid:  Notions  before  St.  John'^  Go/pel 
was  written  ;  and  that  Barnabas,  in  parti- 
cular, pleaded  Texts  out  of  the  0/^  Teflament 

for 

^  Vid.  Augujiin  de  Nupt.  k  Conc-jpifc.  L.  I.  p.  298.  Tom.  X. 
Compare  my  Re-vie-M,  Sec  p.  328,  329. 

•^  To  BccT^icTfix  TO  (pBfiov  £K  aipiciv  diA,xf]iu:v.  Barnab.  Epift.  C.  xi. 
p.  3".  ijfAErj  /»£v  xoilsi^ocmi^iv  £1?  TO  v^uf  ysfjCovlii;  d^uflim  >^  ^VTTtt,  xj 
»ya<oamiAeii  xapffo-^ofsi^fj  x.  t.  ?,.    Ibid.  p.  38. 


Do&rine  of  Juftification.        29 

for  the  fame  Doctrine,  and  that  later  Fa- 
thers had  feveral  other  Texts  to  produce,  be- 
iides  John  iii.  5.  fuch  as  I  have  cited :  But  I 
proceed. 

Her  MAS,  of  the  fame  Century,  affirms, 
that  a  Chriftian's  Life  is  and  JJoall  be  faved  by 
Water^'y  which  amounts  to  the  fame  with 
what  We  have  before  feen  in  St,  Peter,  and 
admits  of  like  Interpretation.  His  elfewhere 
declaring  Remijjion  of  Sins  to  belong  to  Bap- 
fifm  c,  imports  as  much  as  faying  that  Juftifi- 
cation hangs  upon  it.  In  another  Place,  He 
expreffes  his  Senfe  of  the  Necejfity  of  Baptifm 
to  Salvation  (confequently,  to  Jtiftification)  flill 
more  poiitively  —  "  Before  Any  One  receives 
*'  the  Name  of  the  Son  of  God,  He  is  liable 
"  to  Death :  But  when  He  receives  that  Seal^ 
*'  He  is  delivered  from  Death,  and  is  affign'd 
**  to  Life.  Now,  That  Seal  is  Water,  into 
"  which  Perfons  go  down  liable  to  Death,  but 
"  come  out  of  it  affign'd  to  LifeV     Here  it 

is 

^  Quoniam  Vita  veftra  per  Aquam  falva  fa£la  eft  &  fiet :  fun- 
data  eft  enim  Verbo  Omnipotentis  &  honorifici  Nominis.  Herm. 
L.  I.  Vif.  III.  §.  3.  p.  798.  Ed.  Fabric.  Compare  WalPs  Hift. 
cf  Inf.  Bapt,  Part  I.  c.  i.  p.  2. 

*=  In  Aquam  defcendimus,  &  accipimus  Remiffionem  Peccato-t 
rum  noftrorum.    Herm.  Mandat.  IV.  §.3.  p.  854. 

*"  Antequam  enim  accipiat  Homo  Nomen  Filii  Dei,  Mo7-ti  defti- 
natus  eft :  At  ubi  accipit  illud  Sigillum,  liberatur  a  Morte,  Sc  tradi- 
tur  Vita.  XUud  autem  Sigillum  Jqua  eft,  in  qusm  defcendunt  Ho- 
mines 


30        A  fummary  View  of  the 

is  plain,  that  Baptifm  is  prefuppofed  to  "Jiiftifi- 
cation^  which  is  made  the  EffeSi  and  Confeqiient 
of  it.  I  defend  not  Hermas'^  Inference  or 
l^etrofpeB,  with  Refpect  to  the  ancient  Pa- 
triarchs. Baptifm  is  the  Gofpel-Infirumenf 
of  yuftification :  But  ofber  Symbols ^  and  other 
Injirumefits  ferved  the  fajjte  Purpofe  under  the 
preceding  Difpenfations  ^. 

Justin,  of  the  next  Age,  undertaking  to 
defcribe  the  Order  and  Method  of  training  up, 
and  admitting  new  Converts  to  Chriflianity, 
particularly  obferves,  that  They  who  are  per- 
fuaded,  and  ^«?  believe  Thofe  Things  to  be  true 
which  are  taught  Them,  and  do  undertake  to 
live  accordingly,  are  directed  to  fail  and  pray 
for  the  Forgivenefs  of  their  former  Sins ;  and 
are  afterwards  brought  where  there  is  Water ^ 
and  fo  They  are  regenerated^  being  wajhed  with 
Water,  in  the  Name  of  the  three  Divine  Per- 
fons  ;  (the  Neceffity  of  which  is  apparent  from 
John  iii.  3,  4,  5.  and  Isaiah  i.  16,  20.)  and 
then  They  receive  Remiliion  of  Sins  in  Water  j 
but  provided  that  They  truly  repent  Them  of 
their  Sins  h.     The  Order  here  fpecified  runs 

thus  ; 

mines  Mortt  alligati,  afcendunt  vero  Vlt^  afllgnati.  TJerm.  Sim. 
IX.  §.  16.  p.  ioc8.  Compare  JValL  Part.  I.  c.  i.  p.  z,  3,  4,  5. 
And  Bingha?n  XI.  4,  6.  p.  203,   204, 

s  Yid.  Ji(gtff}in.V.r\c\\iv'A.  p.  241.  Tom.  VI. 

^  Juflin  Mart.  Apol.  I.  p.  88,  89,  90.  Edit.  Lond.  Compare 
Wail.  Inf.  Bapt.  Part.  I.  c.  ii.  p.  12,  13.  ad  Edit. 


DoBrine  of  Juftirication.        %t 

thus;  Faith,  Repentance,  Baptifm,  Dedication 
to  God,  Renovation  in  Christ,  Remiffion  of 
Sins,  which  is  Jujiijication.  The  two  fiiil  pre- 
ceded Baptifm ;  The  Three  laft  accompa?2ied  it, 
as  th^  Fruits  2.ndiEffe5ts  of  it,  ht\n2,  fubfequent 
in  Order  of  G7Zf/2?%,  if  not  in  Order  of  Time, 
Preparatory  Grace,  we  know,  muft  be  kfore 
all;  But  Justin  had  no  Occafion  there  to  he 
particular  on  That  Head. 

Iren^us,  30  or  40  Years  later  in  the  fame 
Century,  teaches,  that  every  Son  of  Adam 
needs  the  Laver  of  Regeneration^  to  relieve  Him 
from  the  TranfgreJJion  with  v/hich  He  is  born  \ 
that  is,  to  fave  Him,  as  He  elfe where  explains^^. 

Clemens,  of  the  fame  Time,  fpeaking  of 
Baptifm,  fays ;  "  Being  baptized  we  are  ilh- 
**  minated,  being  illuminated  WQ  IlVQ  m2idiQ  Sons, 
*'  being  made  aSo;zj  we  are /^r/^^^*^,  htmg  per- 

*-^  fe6ied  viQ  are  immortalized. This  Work 

*' is  varioufly  denominated;  Grace,  and  Illu^ 
**  mination,  2.ndiPerfe5lion,  and  Laver:  Laver, 
"  by  which  we  wipe  off  Sins;    Grace,  by 

"  which 

*  Quonlam  In  ilia  Plafmatlone,  quae  fecundam  Jdam  fuit,  in 
TranfgreJ/ione  faftus  Homo  indigebat  Lwvacro  Regenerationis  ; 
poftquam  linivit  Lutum  fuper  Oculos  ejus,  dixit  ei,  'vade  in  Si- 
loam  ^  ^  la'vare ;  fimul  &  Plafmationem,  &  earn  quse  eft  per  La- 
vacrum  Regenerationem  reftituens  ei.  /r^«.  L.  V.  c.xv.  p.  312. 
Edit.  Bened. 

^  Omnes  enim  venit  per  femetipfum  fahare :  Omnes,  inquam, 
qyiperEup  rena/cuntur inDenm,  Infantes,  &  Parvulos,  & Paeros, 
jfe  Juvenes,  &  Seniores.    Iren.  L.  II.  c.  xxii.  p.  147. 


32?       A  fummary  View  of  the 

*'  which  The  Penalties  due  to  Sins  are  remit- 
*' ted;  Illumination^  by  which  That  Holy  and 
**  Salutary  Light  is  view'd,  that  is,  by  which 
*'  we  gaze  on  the  Divine  Being  I"  Baptif?n  is 
here  fuppofed  to  be  the  hijirument  of  Illumina- 
tion^ RemiJJion,  Adoption,  PerfeBion,  Salvation: 
Under  which,  jointly  conlidered,  mufb  be  com- 
prehended all  that  concerns  Jujlijication,  thff 
the  Name  it  felf  is  not  ufed. 

Tertullian  calls  Baptifm  "  The  happy 
"  Sacrament  of  Water,  whereby  We  are 
"  wafhed  from  the  Si?ts  of  our  former  Blind- 
**  nefs,  and  recovered  to  eternal  Life  ™.'*  He 
adds  that  We  are  born  in  Water,  and  are  no 
other  wife  T^z'U^^  than  by  the  abiding  in  it,  or 
by  the  Ufe  of  it  in  Baptifm^,  He  anfwers 
the  Objedlion  drawn  from   the  Sufficiency  of 

Faith 

*  BaTrlj^ojXEvof,  <pu'v\,^o\i.i%a,'  ^wTf^ojXSfOJ,  vjo^oiafAsSa'  vioTroia/XEi-ot, 

icyov  TtfTo,  ^ccfiiO-fAa,  xj  (puTKrf/i^o!.  )^  T£?le»ov,  x^Tiylpov*  Xslpov  |xev,  ^l  a 
T«?  ujAcupiieiq  ccTroffVjrhiA.iba.'  ^KfiC(A,cc  01,  u  rcc  iTTi  Ton;  CC^JiK^lYI^CCaw 
iTTtlt/xta  dvBiTcti'  ^uricrfAa,  ^e,  ^l  a  to  ayiov  sXEfyo  <pfc?  To  culi^fiov  Ivott- 
Isvelai,  TUTiTiv  ^l  a  to  ^b7ov  o^vu7r8[Mv.  Clemens.  Alex.  Piedag.  L.  I. 
c.  vi.  p.  113.  Edit.  Oxon.  Conf.  Naziaiizen.  de  Bapt.  Orat.  XL. 
p.  638. 

"'  Felix  Sacramentum  Aquas  noftr:e,qua  abluti  deliftis  priftinae 
csecitatis,  in  Vitam  aeternam  liberamur.  tertullian  de  Bapt, 
c.  i.  p.  224. 

"  In  Aqua  nafcimur :  nee  aliter  quam  in  Aqua  permanendo 
Salvl  fumus.  Ibid,  praefcribitur  Nemini  fine  Baptifmo  competere 
Zaliitem,  ex  ilk  maxime  Pronuntiatione  Domini,  qui  ait  mfina- 
tus  ex  Aqua,  &C.  Ibid,  c.  xii.  p.  228.  QQxA.de  Anima,  c.  xl. 
p,  294. 


bcSirine  of  juftincatiori.        3  '^ 

Faith  alone  ^  as  in  the  Inflance  of  Abraham. 
The  Sum  of  his  Solution  is,  that  what  was  not 
tto^xx^A  formerly ^  is  required  ;'zc'ze; ;  That  The 
Gojpel  has  made  a  72e'w  Law,  a  new  Rttle  for  it^ 
and  has  tied  Us  up  to  fuch  Form.  He  refers 
to  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  and  to  John  iii.  5.  and 
to  the  Inflanie  of  St.  Paul,  recorded  in  the 
A5ls  J  who,  tho'  He  had  before  Faith  fuffici- 
ent,  yet  was  ftridtly  required  to  add  Baptijm  to 
it°.  From  hence  it  is  plain,  that  Tertul- 
LI  AN  underllood  Baptijm  to  be  the  ordinary 
and  indifpenfable  Mean  or  Infirument  of  yujii^ 
fication ;  infomuch  that  He  thought  even  a  Lay-^ 
jnan  guilty  of  dejiroying  a  Soul,  if  He  fliould 
refufe  to  give  a  Perfon  Baptijm  in  a  cafe  of  Ex- 
tremity,  no  Clergy  being  prefent  '^.  Neverthe- 
lefs,  the  fame  Tertullian  indulged  fome 
Particularities  as  to  the  Point  of  delaying  Bap- 
tifm  in  fome  Cafes  3  and  has  been  thought  not 
V  o  L .  II.  X  very 

*>  Hie  ergo  fceleftiffimi  illi  provocant  Quasftionqs :  Adeo  di- 
cunt,  Baptilmus  non  eft  neccjfarius,  quibus  Fides  fafis  eft ;  nam 
.  &  Ahrahatn  nullius  Aquae  nifi  Fidei  facramento  Deo  placuit.  Sed 
in  omnibus  pojiej-iora  concludunt,  Sc  fequentia  antecedentibus  pre- 
valent. Fuerit  Salus  retro  per  Fidem  nudum,  ante  Domini  Paf- 
fionem  &  Refurreflionem.  At  ubi  Fides  auBa  eft^  credendi  in 
Nativitatem,  Paffionem,  &  Refurredlionem  ejus,  addita  eft  Am- 
pliatio  Sacramento,  Oblignatio  Baptifmi,  Vejiimejitian  quodam- 
modo  Fidei,  quae  retro  erat  7iuda,  nee  poteft  [effe]  jam  {\xvq  fua 
Leo-e.  Lex  enim  tinguendi  impofita  eft,  &  Forma  prajfcripta. 
TertuU.  de  Bapt.  e.  xiii.  p.  229. 

P  Reus  erit  perditi  Hombiis,  fi  fuperfederit  prseftare  quod  libere 
potuit,  c.  xvii.  p.  231. 


34         A  fum^nary  View  of  the 

very  conjijlent  with  Himfelf  in  That  Article'^ 
efpecially  where  He  makes  it  an  Argument 
for  fuch  Delay  ^  that  Faith  entire  is  fecure  of 
Salvation  1.  But  He  hereby  only  qualified  his 
former  DoBrifie,  fo  as  to  except  fome  very  rare 
and  extraordinary  Cafes,  where  Delays  might 
be  made,  not  out  of  Contempt^  but  Revere?ice 
towards  the  Sacrament:  Otherwife  the  ordir- 
nary  Rule  was  to  ftand  inviolable  \  As  to  the 
excepted  Cafes,  they  would  be  rare  indeed,, 
fince  Baptifm  might  be  had  upon  very  fliort 
Warning  s  in  any  Extremity  almofl  according 
to  his  Principles,  if  fo  much  as  a  Laic  could, 
but  be  found  to  confer  it.  But  I  return  to  the 
Point  in  Hand. 

Cyprian,  more  cautious  in  the  Point  of 
Delays  than  his  Mafler  Tertullian,  gives 
this  Reafon  why  the  Baptifm  of  Infants  fhould 
not  be  deferr'd  (in  Danger  of  Death)  to  the 
eighth  Day  j  that  it  is  our  duty,  fo  far  as  in  Us 
.  lies,  to  take  Care,  that  nd  Soul  be  defirofd  ^ 

It 

^  Si  qui  Pondus  intcHigant  Baptifmi,  magis  timebunt  Confecu'- 
t'lonem  quam  Dilationem :  Fides  integra  fecura  eft  de  Salute,  c.xviii. 
p.  232. 

^  See  Wall.  Hift.  of  Inf.  Bapt.  Part.  I.  civ.  p.  23. 

Biiig/jarnXI.  4.  10,  p.  212. 

^  Caeterumomnis  dies  Domini  eft,  omnis  Hora,  omne  Tempus 
habile  Eaptifmo,  c.  xix.  p.  232. 

'  Univerfi  judicavimus,  nulli  Homini  nato  Mifericordiam  Dei 
&  Gratiam  denegandam  :  Nam  cum  Dominus  in  Evangelic  fuo 
dicat,  Filiiis  Homini s  von  njenit  animas  Homintan  perdere,  fed  fal- 
'vare  ;  quantum  in  nobis  eft,  fi  fieri  poteft,  nulla  Anima  perdenda 
ril.    Cjj)/iitft  Epiit  LIX.  Ad  Ffduin,  p.  98.  Edit.  Bened. 


1 


DoEirine  of  Juftlfication.  35 

It  is  plain  from  hence,  that  He  thought  there 
was,  ordinarily,  no  Jujiijication  previous  to  Bap- 
tifm,  the  appointed  Channel  of  Conveyance^  the 
Fountain  Head  of  the  Spiritual  Life :  For  fuch 
was  Cyprian's  Opinion  of  it,  as  appears  thro* 
all  his  Writings  ".  Not  only  fo,  but  He  ex- 
preilly  mentions  yujilfication  as  one  of  the 
Graces  conferr'd  in  it  ^. 

I  pafs  on  to  the  next  Century  3  where  We 
find  the  elder  Cyril  declaring,  that  a  Perfon 
comes  to  BaptiJ?n  beariiig  His  Sins,  dead  i?i  Sins 
(therefore  not  yet  Ji^/lijied)  but  that  He  comes 
owl  qui ckned  in  Right eonjnefs  ^ ;  which  is  the 
fame  as  to  fay,  jiifiijied.  .   . . 

Basil,  of  the  fame  Century,  exprefTes 
Himfelf  fully  to  our  Purpofe,  in  thefe  Words : 
''  Whence  are  We  Christians  ?  ^y  Faith y, 
**  will  Every  One  fay.  But  after  what  man- 
"  ner  are  Vsftfa'ued?  By  being  regenerated thvo' 
*'  the  Grace  which  is  conferr'd  in  Baptifm. — 
"  For,  if  Baptifm  is  to  Me  the  Beginning  of 

Vol.  II.  X  2  ''  Life, 

«»  Cypriaji  Epift.  I.  p.  2.  Epift.  XXIII.  p.  32.  Ep.  LXXII. 
p.  128.  Epift.  LXXIV.  p.  140.  Epift.  LXXVI.  p.  155,  157. 
De  Habit.  Virgin,  p.  180.  Tcjlimon.  L.  III.  c.  XXV.  p.  314.  De 
Orat.  Domin.  p.  206. 

^*'  Quomodo  T Silts  jujiiftc are  &  fanBificare  baptizatos  pofTuntj 
qui  Hoftes  Sacerdotum,  Isc.  Epift.  LXXVI.  p.  155- 

^  K.oc^.sfxo  fAEV  ynfi  si;  to  voaip  (pofruv  Taj;  cx.iJ.xfllai'  dXK  n  t?;  %«•" 
p(Io;  i.7t'iK7\'fi(7iq  aCp^ayiffaca,  ftjv  ^/v^-ziVf  a  avyyjo^iH  "homlv  vtto  ra 
^C('o£p8  >c.cclcx.7ro^r,\isn  OfCiX.rjylo<;.  vexfoq  h  a^ccfl'ixtq  x.x\aZoie,  a.vcx,Qoi,\Mk.% 
^wo9roi»}Sj<;  h  ^mcitua-vi'h.  Cyril  Hierofol.  Catech.  III.  p-45' 
Edit.  Bened.  Conf.  Catechef.  xvii.  p.  282, 


36'       A  fummary  View  of  the 

*'  Life,  and  That  Rege?teratio?i-Day  is  i\\t  firfi 
"  of  Days ;  then  it  is  manifeft  That  Voice  is 
*^  of  all  the  moft  precious  which  is  founded 
"  forth  upon  the  Grace  of  Adoption  y."  Bap- 
tifm  is  here  fuppofed  to  be,  as  it  were,  t\iQ Jirji 
Delivery  of  God's  Grajit  of  Adoption^  and  con- 
fequently  of  yujiification^  which  is  much  the 
fame  Thing.  Faith  goes  before,  as  the  Hand 
ftretchi'd  out,  ready  to  receive  :  But  it  cannot 
be  received  before  it  is  given  :  Neither  is  it  or- 
dinarily firft  given  but  in  Baptijm  -,  nor  conti- 
nued  afterwards  but  in  Virtue  of  it,,  due  ^ali^ 
Jications  fuppofed  all  the  while.  In  another 
Chapter  The  fame  Father  fays,  "  iv7///6and 
**  Baptijm  are  two  Means  of  Salvation,  near 
*'  akin  to  each^  other,  and  infeparable.  For,. 
**  Faith  i^  perfect edhy  Baptifm,  and  Baptifm  is 
"  grounded  in  Faith,  and  Both  are  compleated  by 
"  the  fame  [divine]  Names'"." 

Hilar  I  us   Diaconus,    fome  Years   before 
Basil,  taught  the  fame  Dodtrine  5  interpret- 
ing St.  Paul's    Quotation  from   the  Psal- 
mist 

i  '*'  T)5  ^dfiti  Tni  vio.^scrtaf  E^dCwixQi^cra.     Bajil.  de  spirit.  Sandl. 
ex.  p. 21,  22.  Edit.  Beucd. 

^  nij"»?  ^E  x^  pd'TrlicriAOif   o'JO  r^oiroi  T/;c  cuj\y)^\<x,:,   ffvif/pviX:;  aX^»)^o^f ,  ^ 
SVa-TviijTaj  oio.  r»;;  cjirst'^,  xctt  dta  T<iiV  ;cvr*i'  orj/AaTJ-.i  ■  iXXTc^x  'SjT^Ti- 

fniuxi.  BafU.  ibid.  c.  ,\ii.  p.  23. 


DoSirlm  of  JuftificaUon.        37 

-MIST  (which  the  Apoftle  applies  to  the  Pur- 
Y^o(qo?  J  lift  ijic  at  io?2,  Rom.  iv.  6, 7,  8,)  of  What 
is  done  in  Baptifm,  of  the  yiifiification  conferred 
in  that  holy  Solet?mity  ^:  From  whence  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  He  underflood  Baptijht  to  be  the  ordi- 
?2ary  Jianding  Mean^  or  Injirument  of  Conveyance, 
I  {Imll  fhut  up  this  Detail  of  Fathers  with 
the  Words  of  St.  Austin  ;  who,  undertaking 
to  explain  the  four  Things  mention'd  by  the 
Apoftle  (Rom.  viii.  30.)  pf^edeftinate^  called ^ 
jitftifiedy  and  glorified^  fays  of  the  Thirds  thus : 
"  Behold,  Perfons  are  baptized^  all  their  Sins 
"  are  forgiven,  They  are  jujiified  from  their 
**  Sinsb."  He  repeats  the  fame  Doftrine  foon 
after  in  Words  flill  more  exprefs  c.  It  would 
be  endlefs  to  quote  Paffages  from  the  fame 
X  3  Father 

2  Propheta  autem  Tempus  felix  ppsaVldens  in  Salvatoris  Ad- 
,  ventu,  beatos  nuncupat,  quibus  fine  Lahore  vel  aliquo  Opere^rr 
La-vacrum  remittantur,  &  teguntur,  &  non  imputantur  Peccata. 
Apoftolus  tamen  propter  Plenitudinem  Temporum,  &  quia  plus 
Gratiss  in  Apojlolis  eft  quam  fuit  in  Prophetis,  majora  proteftatur 
qure  ex  Dono  Baptiftiiatis  confequimur  ;  Quia  non  folum  Remif- 
fionem  Peccatorum  accipere  nos,  fed  jiijiifica-ri  &  Filios  Dei  fieri 
prcfitetur,  ut  Beatitudo  h^c  perfe6lam  habeat  &  Securitatem  & 
Gloriam.  Hz/ar.Diac.'m  Rom.  iv.  8.  inter  Op.  Ambrof.  Tom.  IT. 

^  Ecce  enim  baptisati  funt  Homines,  omnia   illis  Peccata  di- 

.  jnilTa  funt,  jiifiificati  funt  a  Peccatis.     Augufiin.  Serm.  CLVIII. 

De  Verb.  Apoftol.  Rom.  viii.  762.  Tom.  V. 

.***,^  ^  Unufquifque  veftrum  jam  ipfa  Jufiificatione  conftitutus,  ac- 

Mpta  fcilicet  Remiffione  Peccatorum  per  Laniacrum  Regencratio- 

mf\  accepto  Spiritu  Sandio,  proiiciens  de  Die  in  Diem,  csfc.  A;i- 

gujlin.  ib.  p.  763.    Conf.  Ghryfojiom'm.  Rom.  viii.  30.     Horn.  xv. 

;p.  595.     Tom.  I/C.  Ed.  Bened.      Damafcen.  in  eund.  Loc.  Op, 

Tpm.  II.  p.  33. 


38  A  fummary  View  of  the 

Father  to  prove  that,  in  his  Account,  there 

IS  no  ytijlijication,  ordinarily,  before^  or  ivitb- 
out  Baptiftn.  It  was  a  fix'd  Principle  with 
Him,  that  'Jiijiijication  ordinarily  commenced 
with  Baptifm^  and  not  otherwife. 

From  hence  ( as  I  may  note  by  the  Way ) 
W^;  may  eafily  underftand  what  St.  Austin 
meant  by  his  Jamed  Maxim,  which  Many  have 
often  perverted  to  a  very  wrong  Senfe;  namely, 
that  good  JVorks  follow  after  yujiif  cation^  and 
do  not  precede  it^.  In  Reality,  He  meant  no 
more  than  that  Men  muft  be  incorporated  in 
Christ,  muftbe  Chrijlians,  and  good  Chrifli- 
ans  (for  Such  only  are  jujiified)  before  They 
could  pradife  Chrijilan  Works,  or  Right eoifnefs, 
flricftly  fo  called  «  :  Yox  fuch  Works  ofily  have  an 
eminent  Right  and  Title  to  the  Name  of  good 
Works '-,  as  they  only  2.xq  faint ary  within  the  Co- 
'venant,  and  have  a  Qlaim  upon  Promife.  Works 
before  Jiifiification,    that   is,  before   Salutary 

Baptifniy 

*J  Sclat  fe  quifque  per  Fidem  pofTe  juftificari,  etiamfi  Lepis  Opera 
non  prascefTerint  :  Seqincntur  enhn  jiiftijicatwn  non  p7-eecedunt  jujii- 
jicandiim.  AuguJIin.  cle  Fid.  &  Oper  c.  xiv.  p.  '77.  Tom.  VI. 
Juftificationem  Opera  non  prxcedunt.  Augvjlin.  de  Spirit.  & 
Litera,  c.xxvi.  109.  Tom.  X.  Bona  Opera  {libfequuntur  Gra- 
tiam,  non  praecedunt  - —  Op.  Imperf.  contr.  JuUan.'L,.  I.  c.  cxli. 
p.  956.  Tom.  X.   Conf.  Tom.  IL  p.  717,  720,  &  Tom.  VI.  p.8g. 

p  Mandata  ejuG  fanfta  &  bona  fibi  tribuebnnt  ;  quse  xxtpojjit 
Homo  facere,  Deus  operatur  in  Homine  per  Fidem  |efu  Chrifti 
qui  Finis  eft  ad  juftitta?n  omni  Crcdenti  :  Id  eft,  cui  per  Spiritum 
incorporatus,  faftafque  Memhrum  ejus  poteft  quifque,  illo  Incre- 
jnentum  intrinfecus  dante,  operarijufiitimn.  Augnfiin.  de  Spirit^ 
&  Lit.  c.  xxix.  p.  115.     Conf.  c.  xxxiv.  p.  119.  Tom.  VL 


IDoBrme  vf  Ju{ti^ca.tiQn,        39 

Bapfiftn,  are  not,  in  his  Account  f,  witJmi  the 
Promife ;  but  are  excluded  rather,  according  to 
the  W/;z^r)' Rule  laid  down  in  John  iii.  5,  and 
diverfe  other  Texts  before  cited.     But  I  return. 

Enough  hath  been  faid  to  fliew,  that  Bap^ 
tijhi  is,  by  divine  Appointment,  the  ordinary  • 
Injirument  for  conveying  the  Grace  of  'Juftiji- 
cation.  Scripture  and  Antiquity  are  clear  in  this 
Matter :  And  fo  likewife  are  our  Church'Forms-y 
particularly  our  Baptifmal  ^  Offices,  Catechifniy 
and  Confirmation. 

I  am  aware  that  fon\e. eminent  Moderns  ^ 
have  prefumed  to  teach,  that  ili^firft  Juftifi- 
cation  in  Adults,  is  antecedent  to  Baptifm,  and 
that  Baptifm  rather  feals  and  confirms  it,  than 
conveys  it :  But  I  fee  no  fufficient  Ground  for 
That  Do(5trine,  either  in  Scripture^  or  Ariti^ 
qiiity^  or  in  tht publick  Offices  of  our  Churchy 
.but  much  the  contrary  :  And  it  feems,  that 
|he  Miilakejn  this  Matter  firft  arofe,  either 
from  the  confounding  the  firft  preparatory  Re-  ^ 
newings  of  the  Grace  of  the  .Spirit,  with  the 
Grace  of  Jifiification ;  or  from  a  miiinter- 
preting  of  St.  Paul's  .Dodirine  relating  to 
jifiifying  Faith ^  as. if  the  Apoftle  in  mentioning 

'X  4  one 

^  Vid.  Auguflin.  de  diverf.  Quseft.  ad  Simplic.    L.  I.    p.  89. 
Tom.  VI.     Item,  de  Spirit.  &.  Lit,  c.  xxxiv.  p.  119.  Tom.  YL 

g  Puhl.  Bap.  of  Inf.      And  Private  Bapt.      And  Bapt.  of 
7hofe  of  riper  Years. 
^  Bucer.  Script.  Anglican,  p-  730. 


; 


4©         A  fummary  View  of  the 

me  Inftrument  of  Juflification,  had  thereby 
excluded  every  Inftrument  befides^  which  He 
does  not.  It  might  as  well  be  pleaded  (as  I 
before  hinted)  that  the  iVpoftle  had  thereby 
excluded  the  Work  of  the  Father^  or  Son^  or 
Bpirit  from  the  Office  of  Jujiijication  5  as  that 
He  excluded  the  vifible  Means^  Rites^  or  Sa- 
craments ^  in  and  by  which  They  jointly  operate. 
St.  Paul's  Phrafes,  or  exclufive  Terms  inferno 
fuch  Thing  5  neither  is  his  Faith  oppofed  to 
Baptifm^  but  it  takes  it  in,  ordinarily,  and  is 
■nQiih^Yjahitary,  nor  lively  Faith,  till  plighted 
in  That  Ordinance  \ 

5.  From  the  Inftrument  of  Conveyance  on 
God's  Part,  We  may  next  proceed  to  the  In- 
ftrum.ent  of  Reception  on  Ma7is  ;  which  I  take 
to  be  Faith^  ps  I  have  more  than  once  inti- 
mated, and  muft  now  explain. 

I  am  fenfibie  that  fome  very  eminent  Men^ 
have  exprefs'd  a  Difiike  of  the  Phrafe  of  the 

Injiru-. 

*  This  Article  was  maintained,  againft  Cartn.vri^ht,  By  Whitr 
gift  firll:,  and  afterwards  by  Booker.  (See  Hooker,  B.  V.  N".  6o. 
p.  276.)  Field,  after  Both,  vindicates  the  Protejianhon  that  Head, 
againft  the  Reproaches  of  their  Popijh  Adveriaries,  as  follows: 

"  Staphton  laith,  that  a  Threefold  Fraud  of  the  Proteflants, 
*'  touching  RemifTion  of  Sins,  is  to  be  avoided  :  Firft,  in  that 
*'  They  make  our  Juftijication  to  confift  in  the  _/«/(?  Remiffion  of 
*'  Sins  by  Faith,  that  the  5acra?netits  confer  nothing  to  our  Jufti- 
^-'^  jication.  Bat  This  is  untrue  ;  for  They  teach  no  fuch  Thing  j 
■'  bat  that  Baptifm  and  Repentance  are  neceffarily  required  in 
^'  Them  that  are  to  be_;5>/?  juftified.  Field  on  the  Church,  B.  III. 
«*  Append,  p  298." 

5'  liarnmoud,  Catech.  Op.  VoL  I.  p.  56,  ?V/- 


DoSirine  of  Juftification.       41 

Iiifirumentality  of  'Faith  -,  and  have  alfo  juflly 
rejecfted  the  l^hing,  according  to  the  fal/e  No- 
tion which  Some  had  conceived  of  it.  It 
cannot  with  any  tolerable  Senfe  or  Propriety 
be  look'd  upon  as  an  Inflrument  oi Co?2veya?2ce 
in  the  Hand  of  the  efficient  or  principal  Caufe  : 
Bat  it  may  juftly  and  properly  be  look'd  upon 
as  the  Inftrument  of  Reception  in  the  Hand  of 
the  Recipient.  It  is  not  the  Mean  by  which 
the  Grace  is  wrought^  effeBed^  or  conferrd  : 
But  it  may  be,  and  is,  the  Mean  by  which  it 
is  accepted^  or  received^  :  or,  to  exprefs  it  a 
little  differently,  it  is  not  the  Inftrument  of 
Juftification  in  the  aBive  Senfe  of  the  Word  \ 
but  it  is  in  the  paffi've  Senfe  of  it. 

It  cannot  be  for  Nothing  that  St.  Paul  fo 
often,  and  fo  emphatically  fpeaks  of  Man's  be- 
ing juftified  by  Faith  "^,  or  through  Faith  in 

Christ's 

'■Illhtfon,  Pofth.  Serm.  Vol.  II.  p.  480,  486. 

Bull  Op.  Latin,  p.  41^*,  512,  555,  655,  657,  658. 

Truman,  great  Propit.  p.  194,  195. 

'  Quod  per  Fidem,  tanquani  Organum,  Gratiam  juftification  is 

acclpi  vel  apprehend!  dicunt  Proteftantes,  nse  illi  Ro7nanenfes 

nimium  morofi  CenCores  funt,  quibus  ifta  loquendi  Forma  impro- 
batur  ;  prasfertim  propter  Verbum  apprehendendi :  Eodem  enim 
Modo  loquuntur  etiam  multi  dodliffimi  Romanenfes.  Pererius  in 

Rom.  V.  2. Maldonat.  injoh.vi.  29.   videatur  &  EJilus  in 

Rom.  iii.  28.  Claudius  Efpencisus  in  i  Tim.  vi.  12.  ubi  horum 
jiovorum  Criticorum  Temeritatem  redle  caftigat. 

GuL  Forbes,  confid.  Modeft.  p.  24.  Conf.  p.  38,  edit,  nova, 
A.  D.  1704. 

"iRom.  i.  17.  iii.  22,28,  30.  v.  2.  ix.  32.  Gal.ii.  16.  iii.  8, 
II,  14,  2?,  24,  26.  V,  5.    Phil.  iii.  g. 


42         A  fiimmary  View  of  the 

Christ's  Blood ";  and  that  He  particularly 
notes  it  of  Abraham,  that  He  belie'ved,  and 
that  his  Faith  was  counted  to  Him  for  'Jufiifi- 
cation  ° ;  when  He  might  as  eafily  have  faid, 
had  He  fo  meant,  that  Man  is  juftified  by 
Faith  and  Works  ^  or  that  Abraham,  to  whom 
the  GoJ'pel  was  preached"^,  was  juftified  by  Gof- 
pel-Faith  and  Obedience.  Befides,  it  is  certain, 
and  is  on  all  Hands  allowed,  that,  tho'  St. 
Paul  did  not  dired:ly  and  exprefly  oppofe 
Faith  to  evajigelical  Works,  yet  He  compre- 
hended the  Works  of  the  moral  Law  under 
thofe  Works  which  He  excluded  from  the 
Office  of  jnftifytng,  in  his  Senfe  of  "J^difying^ 
in  thofe  PalTages :  And  farther,  He  ufed  fuch 
Arguments  as  appear  to  extend  to  all  Kinds  of 
Works:  For,  Abraham's  Works  were  really 
e"cangelical  Works,  and  yet  they  were  exclii- 
ded.  Add  to  This,  that  if  ytijlijication  could 
come  even  by  evangelical  Works,  without  tak- 
ing in  Faith  in  the  meritorious  Sufferings  and 
Satisfad:ion  of  a  Mediator ;  then  might  we 
have  whereof  to  glory  ^,  as  needing  no  Pardon; 
and  then  might  it  be  juftly  faid,  that  Christ 
died  in  vain'.     I  mufl  further  own,  that  it  is 

of 

"  Rom.  iii.  25.     Gal.  ii.  20.     Phil.  iii.  10. 
■°  Rom.  iv.  3.     Gal.  iii.  6. 
P  Gal.  iii.  8. 
.    -^  See  Rom.iy.  2. 
^  See  Gal.  ii.  21.  . 


DoBrine  of  Juftification.       43 

of  great  Weight  with  Me,  that  fo  early  and 
fo  confiderable  ^Writer  as  Clemens  of  Rome  ^ 
an  Apoftolical  Man,  fhould  fo  interpret  the 
Doiflrine  of  jujiifyi7tg  Faith^  as  to  oppofe  it 
plainly  even  to  evangelicalWox^is  however  ex- 
alted. It  runs  thus  :  "  They  (the  ancient 
"  Patriarchs)  were  All  therefore  greatly 
*'  glorified  and  magnified;  not  for  their  own 
*'  Sake,  or  for  their  own  Works,  or  for  the 
*'  Rigbteoiifnefs  which  They  Themfelves 
"  wrought,  but  thro'  His  good  Pleafure. 
*'  And  we  alfo  being  called  thro'  His  good 
'*  Pleafure  in  Christ  Jesus,  are  not  jujii- 
'■^  jied  by  Our  Selves,  neither  by  our  own 
*'  Wifdom,  or  Knowledge,  or  P/V/y,  or  the 
*'  Works  which  We  have  done  in  Holinefs  of 
.*'  Heart,  but  by  That  Faith  by  which  Al- 
**  mighty  God  jujiified  All  from  the  Begin- 
■^  ning'."  Here  it  is  obfervable,  that  the 
Word  Faith  does  not  fland  for  the  whole 
Syll:em  of  Chriftianity,  or  for  Chrijiian  Belief 
at  large,  but  for  fome  particular  fef-denying 
Principle  by  which  good  Men,  even  under 
the  patriarchal  and  legal  Difpenfations,  laid 

hold 

lacviuv  ^tx«.ia|M,ES«,  bSl  oicc  irr,q  riiA.iTsfa.i;  (jj(p\a.c,  ri  Quncrtojq,  r)  ivcrt- 
fcEiaj,  i)  i'fyuv  u»  x.cilsifycx.accfiSci  Iv  ocioT*?]*  Kafoiu^'  ccT^oc,  oia.  T'/j; 
•ETirswj,  ^i'  -15?  'accvloci;  Ts;  cctt'  uluv®^  o  -crctvIoxpaTwp  ©so?  ehzsciua-iv. 
Clem,  Rom.  Ep.  i.  C.  32. 


44        A  fummary  Vim  of  tit 

hold  on  the  Mercy  and  Promifes  of  God,  re- 
ferring all,  not  to  Themfehes  ex  their  oivn  De- 
fervings,  but  to  DiviJie  Goodnefe,  in  and  thro" 
a  Mediator.  It  is  true,  Clemens  elfewhere, 
and  St.  Paul  almoft  every  where,  infifts  up- 
on true  Holifiejs  of  Hearty  and  Obedience  of 
.Life^  as  indifpenfable  Conditions  of  Salvation, 
or  Jujiification  ;  and  of  That,  One  would 
think  there  could  be  no  Queflion  among  Men 
of  any  Judgment  or  Probity  :  But  the  Quef- 
tion  about  Conditions  is  very  diftind:  from  the 
other  Queftion  about  Injirumejits  -,  and  there- 
fore both  Parts  may  be  true,  viz,  that  Faith 
.and  Obedience  are  equally  Conditions^  and  equally 
indifpenjable  where  Opportunities  permit ;  and 
yet  Faith  over  and  above  is  emphatically  the 
Injirument  both  of  receiving  and  holding  Jufti- 
iication,  or  a  Title  to  Salvation  ^ 

To  explain  this  Matter  more  diftindlv,  let 
it  be  remembred,  that  God  may  be  confider- 

ed 

^  A  learned  Foreigner  ilhiftrates  this  Matter  by  the  Cafe  of 
Marriage,  as  every  good  Perfon  is  conceived  to  be  married  to 

vChrift,  and  to  become  one  Flefh  with  Him.  Ephef.  v.  31,  32. 
Now  there  are  many  ^.alifications.  Condition!,  Capacities  re- 
quifite  to  a  i,'«//V  Marriage  :  Butftill  Confent,  oxContraft,  with 
due  Solemnities,  is  what  formally  makes  the  matrimonial  Bond, 
and  what  gives  it  its  Sanation.  Refpeft,  Obedience,  Love,  do 
not  properly  effeft  it ;  but  Confent  does.  So  Faith  binds  the  Con- 
trad,  confummates  the  Marriage-Covenant  witli  Chrift,  while 
the  reft  are  confider'd  as  S^ualijications,  or  Conditio  ■:$  of  the  Stipu- 
lation, not  as  the  formal  Stipulation  it  felf.  Vid.  U''eJfcJ:i'Di&}:- 

■  tat  Acadeni,  p.  1 47,  isc.  281. 


DoSirine.  o/*  Juftiffcation.       45^ 

cd  (as  I  before  noted)  either  as  a  Party,  cw- 
traBing  with  Man,  on  very  gracious  Terms'^;. 
or  as  a  Judge  to  pronounce  judgment  upon  Him.- 
Man's  firfi:  coming  into  Covenant  (fuppo- 
fmg  Him  adult)  is  by  afjenting  to  it,  and  ac- 
eepting  of  it,  to  have  and  to  hold  it  017  fdch 
Kind  of  T'ejjure  as  God  propofes  :  Tliat  is  to 
fay,  upon  a  felf-denyi?7g  Tenure,  conlidering 
Himfelf  as  a  guilty  Man,  ftanding  in  Need  o^ 
Pardon,  and  of  borrowed  Merits,  and  at  length 
refting  upon  Mercy  ^^.  So  here,  the  previous 
Queflion  is,  whether  a  Perfon  fliall  confent  to 
hold  a  Privilege  upon  this  Jiibmiffive  Kind  of 
Tenure,  or  not  ?  Such  AJI'ent  or  Confent,  if  He 
comes  into  it,  is  the  very  T^hing  which  %t^ 

Paul 


"  Neque  enlm  Hoc  Foedus  Naturam  Habet  Emptiom's,  Vendl- 
tionis,  aut  Locationis,  ConduSlionJs,  aut  alicujus  Contvaftus  isma- 
minati,  do  ut  facias,  facto  iit  facias,  ubi  eorum  qua;  invicem 
praeftantur  aqualitas  requiritur  :  Sed  habet  aliquam  convenien- 
riam  cum  contra6lu  feudali,  ubi  una  Pars  ex  Gratia  Quid  in  al- 
terum  confert,  quag  autem  altera  viciffim  praeftat,  non  RetriJmti' 
onis  fed  tantum  Recognitionis  Vim  habent,  grati,  lidelis,  ac  devotJt 
Animi  Teftem.  Fifcndorf  Jus  Fecial.  Divin.  §.  54.  p.  191. 
Conf.  §.51.  p.  172. 

^^  Summa  hue  redit,  quod  is  [Chriftus]  Peccata  Generis  Hu- 
xnani,  in  fe  fufcepit,  eaque  expiavit,  ac  pro  iifdem  juftitis  Divinat. 
fatisfecit,  eo  cum  EIFectu  ut  Qui  in  ipfum  c-redunt,  feu  in  ejuldem 
Merita  Sc  SatisfaStioKe  omnem  faam  Fidticiam  reponant,  ejus  i?i- 
tuitu  Gratiam  Dei  quaerunt,  Peccatorum  Remiffionem,  folidam. 
&  coram  Tribunali  divino  fubfiftentem  _7///////i2OT,  cum  aliis  Be- 
aieficiis  qus  cum  Deo  reconciliatcs  comitantur,  &  demum  Viiatn 
^/fr7i«jw  confeqjjantur,    Pufendorf,  ibid.  §.48.  p.  j66.- 


4-6        A  fummary  View  of  the 

Paul  and  St.  Clemens  call  F^zV/'^  ;  And 
This  previous  and  general  Queftion,  is  the 
Queflion  which  Both  of  Them  determine  a- 
gainfl  any  proud  Claimants  Who  would  hold 
by  a  more  felf-admiring  Tenure. 

Or,  if  We  next  confider  God  as  fitting  in 
Judgment,  and  Man  before  the  Tribunal,  go- 
ing to  plead  his  Caufe ;  here  the  Queflion  is, 
what  Kind  of  Flea  fliall  a  Man  refolve  to  trufl 
his  Salvation  upon  ?  Shall  He  fland  upon  his 
Innocence,  and  reft  upon  Jiri5i  Law  j  or  fliall 
He  plead  guilty,  and  reft  in  an  AB  of  Grace  .^ 
If  He  chufes  the  Former,  He  is  proud,  and 
fure  to  be  caji :  If  He  chufes  the  Latter,  He 
i^fafe  fo  far,  in  throwing  Himfelf  upon  an 
A5i  of  Grace,  "Now,  This  Queftion  alfo,  which 
St.  Paul  has  decided,  is  previous  to  the  Quef- 
tion,  what  Condi tio??s  even  the  A(5t  of  Grace  it 
felf  finally  infifts  upon?  A  Queflion  which 
St.  James  in  particular,  and  the  ^^;/£'r^/ Te- 
nour  of  the  whole  Scripture  has  abundantly 
fatisfied ;  and  which  could  never  have  been 
made  a  ^lejiion  by  any  confiderate,  or  impar- 
tial 

5*  Quia  Foeius  ac  Divina  Beneficia  per  eandem  [Fidem]  ac- 
cepta77tur  ;  cam  invitis  &  reluftantibus  ilia  impingere  nolit  Deus-, 
neque  id  citra  Extinftionem  il/i5r«/;V«/M  fieri  poffit.  Ibid.  §.51. 
p.  172.  Ex  Parte  Kominum  ordinavit  Medium  ■Kn'rflix.ov,  feu  per 
quod  iilud  acceptatur,  Fidem  ;  quam  etiam  Hominibus  offert,  {ei. 
morali,  non  pbyfico  aut  mechanico  Modo.  Ibid  §-78.  P-3i9. 
Conf.    §.  85.  p.  349. 


DoEirine  of  Juftification.         47 

tial  Christian.  But  of  that  I  may  fay  more 
under  another  Article.  What  I  am  at  prefent 
concern'd  with,  is  to  obferve,  that  Faith  is 
emphatically  the  Injirument  by  v/hieh  an  Aduk 
accepts  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  conjhiting  to 
hold  by  that  Khid  of  'Te?2iire,  to  be  jiifiijied  ia 
that  Way,  and  to  reft  in  that  kind  of  Fka-i 
putting  his  Salvation  on  that  only  Ifluc. 

It  appears  to  be  a  juft  Obfervation,  which 
Dr.  Whitby  makes  (Pref.  to  the  Epift.  t® 
Galat,  p.  300)  that  Abraham  had  Faith 
[Hebr.xi.  8.)  before  what  was  fard  of  his 
Jujiijication  in  Gen.XY.%6  S  and  afterwards 
more  abundantly,  when'  He  offer'd  up  his 
Son  Isaac  5  but  yet  neither  of  thofe  Inftances 
was  pitch'd  upon  by  the  Apoftle,  as  fit  for  his 
Purpofe,  becaufe  in  Both  Obedience  was  join'd 
with  Faith :  Whereas  here  was  a  pure  A5i  ef 
Faith  without  Works,  and  oi^Mv^  AB  of  Faith 
it  is  faid,  it  was  imputed  to  Him  for  Rightecif- 
nefi. 

The  Sum  is,  none  of  our  Works  are  good 
enough  to  ftand  by  The?njehes  before  Him, 
who  is  oi purer  Eyes  than  to  behold  Iniquity.  ^ 
Christ  only  is  pure  enough  for  it  at  fir  ft  1 
Hand,  and  They  that  are  Christ's  at  fecond  I 
Hand,  in  and  thro'  Him.  Now,  becaufe  it-'. 
is  by  Faith  that  We  thus  interpofe,  as  it  were, 

Christ 


48         A  fummary  View  of  the 

Christ  between  God  and  C7>,  in  Order  to  gain 
Acceptance  by  Him  j  therefore  Faith  is  em- 
phatically the  Infirmnent  whereby  we  receive 
the  Grant  of  Jujlijication.  Obedience  is  equally 
a  Condition  J  or  Salification^  but  not  an  Inftru- 
mcfity  not  being  that  Adi  of  the  Mind  v/hereby 
we  look  up  to  God  and  Christ,  and  whereby 
we  embrace  the  Promifes. 

Faith^  by  St.  Paul's  Account  of  it,  is  The 
Siibflance  of  'Things  hoped  for,  as  making  the 
Things  fiibfifi,  as  it  were,  with  certain  EfFecft, 
in  the  Mind.  It  is  the  Evidence  of  Things  not 
feen  y,  being,  as  it  were,  the  Eye  of  the  Mind, 
looking  to  the  Blood  of  Christ,  and  thereby 
inwardly  warming  the  Affecftions  to  a  firm  Re- 
liance upon  it,  and  Acquiefcence  in  it  2.  But 
This  is  to  be  underflood  of  ^finn  and  vigorous 
Faith,  and  at  the  fame  time  njDcll  grounded, — ^ 
Faith  is  faid  to  embrace  (falute,  welcome)  the 
Things  promifed  of  God  a,  as  Things  prefent  to 
View,  or  near  at  Hand.  There  is  no  other 
Faculty,  Virtue,  Ad:,  or  Exercife  of  the  Mind, 
which  fo  properly  does  it,  as  Faith  does: 
Therefore  Faith  particularly  is  reprefented  as 
That  by  which  the  Gentile  Converts  laid  hold 

on 

y  Hebr.  xi.  1.        ^  Rom.  iii,  2j.  '  Hebr.xj.  13,  14, 


DoBrine  of  Juftification.        49 

tn  Juftitication  b^  and  brought  it  home  to 
Themfelves.  And  as  Faith  is  faid  to  have 
healed  Several  c,  in  a  5(?^/7^  Senfe  5  fo  may  it 
be  alfo  faid  to  heal  Men  in  a  Spiritual  Way, 
that  is,  to  jujiijy,  being  immediately  injirii- 
mental  in  the  Receptiofi  of  That  Grace,  more 
than  any  other  Virtues  are.  For  as,  when 
Perfons  were  healed  by  looking  on  the  Brazen 
'Serpent  ^^  their  Eyes  were  particularly  inflrU' 
mental  to  their  Cure^  more  than  the  whole  Body  % 
fo  Faith,  the  Eye  of  the  Mind,  is  particularly 
injlrumental  in  this  Affair,  more  than  the  niohole 
Body  of  Graces,  with  which  it  is  accompanied  : 
Not  for  any  fuper-eminent  Excellency  oi  Faith 
above  every  other  Virtue  (for  Charity  is  great- 
er e)  but  for  its  particular  Aptnefs^  in  the  very 
Nature  of  it,  to  make  Things  difiant  become 
near,  and  to  admit  them  into  clofe  Embraces* 
The  Homilies  of  our  Church  defcribe  and  li- 
mit the  Dodirine  thus :  *  *  Faith  doth  not  {hut 
"  OMt  Repentance,  Hope,  Love,  Dread,  and  the 
* '  Fear  of  God  to  h^  joined  with  Faith  in  every 
*'  Man  that  isjiiftijied',  but  it  fhutteth  them 
Vol.  II.  Y  *' out 

^  Rom.  ix.  30,  31,  32= 

<=  Matt.  ix.  22.  Luke  vii.  50.  viil.  48.  xvli.  19.  xviil.  42. 
Mark  V.  34.    X.  52. 

•^  Numb.  xxi.  8,  9.  Comp.  Ifa.  xlv.  22.  Joh.  iii.  14.  Conf. 
Gul.  Forbes,  Confid.  Modefc.  p.  28,  29.  Crabein  Notis  ad  Bulli 
Harmon,  p.  450,  451.. 

*  I  Cor.  xiii.  13, 


so        A  fummary  View  of  the 

"  out  from  the  Office  of  juftifying  f  j"  that  is 
to  fay,  from  the  Office  of  accepting  or  receiving 
it :  For,  as  to  the  Office  oijuflifying  in  the  ac- 
tree  Senfe,  T^hat  belongs  to  God  only^  as  the 
fame  Homily  elfewhere  declares  s.     The  Doc- 
trine is  there  further  explain 'd  thus :  "  Becaufe 
*'  Faith  doth  diredly  fend  us  to  Christ  for 
*'  Remiffion  of  our  Sins ^  and  that  by  Faith  given 
"  us  of  God  we  embrace  the  Promife  of  God's 
"  Mercy,  and  of  the  Remiffion  of  our  Sins 
**  (which  Thing  none  other  of  our  Virtues  or 
**  Works  properly  doth)  therefore  the  Scripture 
**  ufeth  to  fay,  that  Faith  without  Works  doth 
^^  jujiify^:  Not  that  This  is  to  be  underftood 

of 

^Homily  of  Salvation,  Parti,  p.  22. 

8  Homily  of  Salvation,  Part  II.  p.  25,  26.  and  Part  III.  p.  z8. 
Among  the  /rt/<?r  Homilies,  fee  oji  the  FaJJioHy  p.  452,  454.  And 
concerning  the  Sacrament,  Part  I.  p.  472,  574.  Conf.  Noiveili 
Catech.  p.  41.  Gul.  Forbes,  Confid  Modeft.  p.  23,  24,  38, 
Hooker,  Difc.  on  Juftific.  p.  509.  TyrJal  j^^,  187,  225,  330, 
^31.  Field,  299,323.  Conf.  Auguftan,  Art.  XX.  p.  18,  19. 
Spanheim,  Tom.  111.  p.  141,  159,  761,  834.  Le  Blanc,  p.  126, 
267. 

*  Homily  of  Salvation,  Part  III.  p.  28. 
N.  B.  In  the  z%^^  Article  of  our  Church,  we  are  taught,  that 
THE  Mean  njjhereby  the  Body  of  Chrifl  is  received  and 
eaten  in  the  Supper,  is  Faith.  Comp.  ye-welf?,  Defence,^f, 
p.  234.  And  my  Re'vieav,  p.  141,  142,  195,  212,  241,  244, 
539.  No  One  can  doubt  but  that  Charity  is  as  necefTarily 
requir'd  to  a  ivorthy  Reception  of  the  Eucharift,  or  to  a  real 
Reception  of  the  Body  and  the  Graces  thereon  depending,  as 
Fuitb  can  be  :  They  are  Both  of  them  equally  Conditions  : 
But  Faith  particularly  is  the  Mean,  or  Infirument ;  which 
Charity  in  this  Cr.fe  is  not.  Charity  is  excluded  here  fronx 
terving  as  a  l.l^an,  from  the  Office  of  being  an  Injirument^ 

and 


Do&rine  of  Juftificatlon.        5 1 

of  a  Man's  being  confident  of  his  owJi  Elec- 
tion, his  own  Jultification,  or  his  ow?i  Salva- 
tion in  particular  (which  is  quite  another  Quef- 
tion,  and  to  be  determin*d  by  other  Rules)  but 
of  his  confiding  folely  upon  the  Covenant  of  Grace 
in  Chr  1ST  (not  upon  his  own  Defervings)  with 
full  Affurance  that  fo,  andyo  onl)\  He  is  fafe 
as  long  as  He  behaves  accordingly. 

The  Covenant  of  Grace  has  Conditions  annex'd 
to  it,  which  I  am  next  to  confider. 

6.  The  Conditions  of  fufiification  are  of  great 
Weight ;  for,  without  Them,  no  Infiruments 
can  avail.  Thofe  Conditions  are  Faith  and  Obe- 
dience-,  as  St.  James  hath  particularly  main- 
tain'di.  St.  Paul  had  before  determin'd  the 
general  and  previous  Queftion,  as  to  the  Tenure 
whereby  We  are  to  hold,  or  the  Plea  by  which 
We  ought  to  abide ;  namely,  by  Grace,  in 
Oppolition  to  Claijns :  And  when  fome  Libera 
tines  had  perverted  (as  is  probable)  St.  Paul's 
Dodtrine  very  widely  and  ftrangely,  and  made 
an  ill  Ufe  of  it 5  then  St.  James  fhewed  that 
That  very  Faith ^  which  was  to  reft  in  a  Co- 

Vol.  II.  y  2  venant 

and  no  body  takes  Offence  at  it :  Why  fliould  they  therefore 
in  the  other  Sacrament,  the  Sacrament  of  t]xefirjl  Juflifica- 
tion,  when  the  Cafes  are  parallel  ?  Our  Church  is  conftajit 
and  uniform  in  Both  ',  and  fo  are  the  ancient  Churches  like- 
wife,  upon  Reafons  grounded  in  the  very  Nature  of  Faith,  as 
an  A(3:  or  Hzhit  /^ecrfica/Zy  different  from  Charity. 
»  Jam.  ii.  14,— —26, 


52        A  fummary  View  of  the  | 

venant  of  Grace,  fuppofed  a  Conformity  to  the 
*Terms  of  it ;  otherwife  it  would  be  found  but 
a  Dead  Faith,  no  Chrijiian  Faith  at  all :  For, 
a  Cordial  Belief  of  the  divine  Promifes,  and  a 
Cordial  Acquiefcence  in  God's  Covenant,  implies 
and  includes  a  Cordial  Submijjion  to  the  Terms  and 
Conditions  of  it ;  otherwife,  it  is  Nothing  but 
empty  Cereinony. 

Upon  the  Whole,  The  perfe«fl:  Agreement 
between  St.  Paul  and  St.  James,  in  the  Ar- 
ticle of  fujiif cation,  appears  very  clear,  and 
certain.  St.  Paul  declares,  that,  in  Order 
to  come  at  Jiijiifcation,  it  is  neceffary  to  ftand 
upon  Grace,  not  upon  Merit  -,  which  St.jAMES 
does  not  de?iy,  but  confirms  rather  in  what  He 
fays  of  the  perfeB  haw  of  Liberty,  Jam.  u 
25.  ii.  12.  St.  Paul  makes  Faith  the  Infiru- 
ment  of  receiving  That  Grace  j  which  St.  J  am  e  s- 
does  not  difpute,  but  approves  by  what  He  fays 
of  Abraham, (ii.  23.)  only  He  maintains  alfo^, 
.that,  in  the  conditionate  Senfe,  f  11  jlifi cation  di^- 
pends  equally  upon  Faith  and  good  Works  ; 
which  St.  Paul  alfo  teaches  and  inculcates  in 
Effed,  or  in  other  Words,  thro'  all  his  Writ- 
tings.  If  St.  Paul  had  had  precifely  they^?;^^ 
^efiion before  Him  which  St.  James  happen'd 
to  have.  He  would  have  decided  jufh  as  St. 
James  did  ;  And  if  St.  James  liad  had  pre- 

precifely 


DoBrine  of  Juftification.        5  3 

cifely  the  fmne  ^/ejiion  before  Him  which 
St.  Paul  had,  He  would  havedetermin'djuft 
as  St.  Paul  did.  Their  Principles  were  exadtly 
the  Jame,  but  the  ^lejiio-ns  were  diver fe^  and 
They  had  different  Adverfaries  to  deal  with, 
and  oppofite  Extremes  to  encounter,  which  is 
a  common  Cafe. 

It  maybe  noted,  thatThat  F^//^  which  I  here 
call  a  Condition,  is  of  much  wider  Compafs  than 
Th-a.t particular  Kind  of  Faith  which  is  precifely 
the  Injirument  of  'Jujiijication.  For,  Faith ^  as 
a  Condition^  means  the  whole  Complex  of  Chrif- 
tian  Belief  as  exprefs'd  in  the  Creeds ;  while 
Faith,  as  an  Injlriitnent,  means  only  the  laying 
hold  on  Grace,  and  refting  in  Chr  i  st'j  Merits, 
in  Oppofition  to  our  own  Dejervi?igs  :  Tho' 
This  alfo,  if  it  is  a  vital  2Lnd  operative  Principle 
{and  if  it  is  not,  it  is  nothing  worth)  mufl  of 
courfe  prefuppofe,  carry  wdth  it,  and  draw  after 
it  an  hearty  Submijjion  to,  and  Obfervance  of, 
all  the  neceffary  Conditions  of  that  Covenant  of 
Grace,  wherein  We  repofe  our  whole  Truft 
and  Confidence.  So  that  St.  Paul  might  well 
fay,  F^o  We  then  make  void  the  Law  (the  Moral 
Law)  thro'  Faith?  God  forbid:  Tea  we  eftablijlo 
the  Law  ^.  We  exempt  no  Man  from  religious 
Duties  j  which  are  Duties  ftill,  tho'  they  do 
Y  3  not 

fe  Rom.  iii.  31.     See  mrris  Prad,  Difc.  Vol.  III.  Difc.  3. 


54        A  fummary  View  of  the 

not  merits  nor  are  pradticable  to  fuch  a  Degree 
as  to  be  above  the  Need  of  Far  don  :  They  are 
necefTary  Conditions,  in  their  Meafure,  of  Jt(/' 
tijication  j  tho'  not  j'ufficient  in   themfelves  to 
jujiif)\  nov  perfe5i  enough  to  ftand  before  God, 
or  to  abide  Trial :  Therefore  Ch  R  i  st' j  Merits 
muft  be  taken  in  tofupply  their  Defeds  j  and 
fo  our  refting  in  ChristV  Attonement^  by  an 
humble,  felf-denying  Faith ^  is  our  laft  Refort, 
our  Anchor  of  Salvation  both  fure  and  fledfaft, 
after  we  have  otherv^ife  done  our  utmoft  to- 
wards the  fulfilling  of  God's  Sacred  Lav^s,  to- 
wards  the  performing  all   the  Conditiom  re- 
quired J. 

ThsX  good  Works,  mtcrnal  2iT\6.  external,  are 

according  as  Opportunities  offer,    and  Circiim^ 

fiances  permit,  Conditions  properly  fo  called,  is 

clear  from  the  whole  Tenour  of  Scripture,  as 

hath  been  often  and  abundantly  proved  by  our 

own 

*  Coram  Deo  Nihil  valet  quam  THhis  ejus  chariffimus,  Jefus 
Chriilus  :  Ad  ilium  ubicunque  eft,  refpicit ;  in  illo  complacuit  : 
Hie  tot  us  fandlus  &  purus  eft  coram  illo.  Filius  autem  non  per 
Opera,  fed  per  fidem  in  corde  abrque  cmni  Opere,  apprehenditur. 
Charltas  &  Opera  nee  funt  nee  efle  pofTunt  Filius  Dei,  z-xxtjicjii- 
tia  quae  coram  Deo  pur  a  Sc  fanfta  fit,  ut  eft  Filius.  Itaque  per 
fe  non  confiftunt  coram  Deo  ut  jiijlitia  pura,  qualis  eft  Filius. 
Quod  verojufia  Sc  fanila  vocentur,  ex  Gratia  fit,  non  &x  jure  : 
Neque  ilia  ajqvie  refpicit  Deus  ut  Filium,  fed  tantum  propter  Fili- 
jm  ea  tolerat,  &  fert  illorum  Impuritatem  :  imo  coronat  ea  & 
Praemiis  afficit,  fed  id  omne  propter  Filium,  qui  in  Corde  habitat; 
"^^x  Fidtm.  i(V//if>-.  in  Seckendorf.  Lib.  III.  p.  357.  A.  0.1541, 


DoBrtne  of  Juftification.        55 

own  Divines  i",  and  is  admitted  by  the  mofl 
judicious  among  ihtforeig?!  Reformed^, 

Yet  Some  have  been  very  fcrupulous  as  to 
this  innocent  Name,  even  while  They  allow 
the  abjolute  NeceJJity  of  good  Worh^  as  indif- 
penfable  ^lalifications  for  future  Bleffednefs. 
Why  not  Conditions  therefore,  as  well  as  Sa- 
lifications^ Perhaps,  Becaufe  That  Name  might 
appear  to  ftrike  at  abjolute  Predeftination,  or 
unconditional  Eleftion  ;  and  there  may  lie  the 
Scruple  :  Otherwife,  the  Diiference  appears  to 
lie  rather  in  Words  than  in  Things. 

Some  will  have  them  called  not  Conditions, 
but  Fruits  or  Confequents  of  Juftification.  If 
they  mean,  by  "Jufiification^  the  fame  as  the 
Grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  th^firfi:  Grace 
of  Faith  fpringing  from  it  3  they  fay  true  ° : 
Y  4  and 

^  Bull.  Op.  Latin,  p.  412,  414,  415,  430,  4J4,  514,  516, 
544,    583,  645,  ^68.  Edit.  uk. 

Stillino:fleet'sWfirks,  Vol.  III.  p.  367,  380,  393,  398.  TrV- 
Jotfon  Pofth.  Serm.  Vol.  II.  p.  484,  487. 

"  i^<7^«j  de  Bonis  Operibus,  Thef.  x.  p.  370.  Op.  Tom.  VI. 
Prid.  Spanhem.  fil.  Op.  Tom.  III.  p.  141,  159. 

Conf.  Gul.  Forbes,  Confid.  Modeft.  p.  195,  i^c. 

°  Nemo  computet  bona  Opera  ante  Fidem ;  ubi  Fides  non 
erat,  bonum  Opus  non  erat  :  Bonum  enim  Opus  Intentio  facit, 
intentionem  F/W^/ dirigit.  ^«g-«/?/«.  in  Pfal.xxxi.  p.  172.  Tom. IV. 

Crede  in  Eum  qui  juftificat  Impium,  ut  poffint  &  bona  opera 
tua  effe  opera  bona  :  Nam  nee  bona  ilia  appellaverira,  quamdiu 
non  de  Radice  bona  procedunt.   Ibid.  p.  1 74. 

N.  B.  St.  Auftin  is  not  conftant  in  his  Notion  of  good  Works, 
but  He  ufes  the  Phrafe  in  a  twofold  Senfe,  larger  ox  firiSler. 
Sometimes  He  means  by  good  Works,  Works  flowing  from 

Grace 


56        A  fummary  View  of  the 

and  tlien  there  is  nothing  more  in  it  than  an 
improper  Ufe  of  the  Word  yujlijication,  except- 
ing that  from  Ahufe  of  Words  very  frequently 
arifes  fome  Corruption  of  T)o5lrine. 

If  They  mean  only,  that  outward  Adts  of 
Righteoufnefs  are  Fruits  of  inward  Habits  or 
Difpofitions  j  That  alfo  is  undoubtedly  true  : 
But  That  is  no  Reafon  why  internal  Ad:s,  Vir- 
tues, Graces  (good  Works  of  the  Mi?id)  fliould 
not  be  called  Conditions  of  the  Frimary  Juftifi- 
cation  ;  or  why  the  outward  Ads  fliould  not 
be  jaflly  thought  Conditions  of  preferving  it. 

But  if  They  mean  that  Jiijlification  is  ordi- 
narily given  to  Adults^  without  any  preparative 
or  previous  Conditions  of  Faith  and  Kepentance^ 
That  indeed  is  very  iiew  Do(5lrine  and  danger* 
cus^  and  opens  a  wide  Door  to  carnal  Security^ 
and  to  all  JJngodlineJs,  But  enough  of  This 
Matter. 

The  Sum  of  vi^hat  has  been  offered  under 
the  prefent  Head  is.  That  we  are  ju/iijied  by 
God  the  Father^  confider'd  as  Principal^  and 
f,rjl  Mover ;  and  by  God  the  ^011^  as  meritorious 
purchafer  ^  and  by  God  the  Holy-Ghoji^  as  im- 
mediate 

Grace  and  Faith  whether  before  or  after  Baptiim  ;  as  He 

does  here :  And  fcnictimes  He  n^ier^ns  Works  Itriftly  chriftian^ 
fubfequenttothe  Jncorpor/ztioiz  in  Eaptifm,  that  is,  Yubfequent 
to  jufiificatim.  The  Want  of  obfen-ing  this  his  twofold  Ufe 
cf  tile  Phrafc,  has  led  fonie  iinca,utious  Readers  into  MiiUkcs. 


DoSirlne  of  Juftification.  5  7 

mediate  Ffficient ;  and  by  Baptifm,  as  the  or- 
dinary Injlrument  of  Co7iveyance  5  and  by  Faith 
of  fuch  a  Kind,  as  the  ordinary  Injlrument  of 
Receptioji  5  and  lajily,  by  Faith  and  Flolinefs,  as 
the  neceflary  9>ualijications  and  Conditions  in 
Adults  J  both  for  the  firll  receivings  and  for  the 
perpetual  preferving  it  i'.     Such,  and  fo  many 

are 

P  The  Order  of  Jufiificatlon  is  thus  exprsffed  in  K.  Ed-ivard^s 
Catechifm,  written  by  Peynet,  A.  D.  15^3,  countenanced  by 
the  other  Bifhops  and  Clergy,  and  pablifh'd  by  the  King's  Au- 
thority. 

"  I.  The  firft  and  prhicipal,  and  moft  proper  Caufe  of  our 
*'  "Jujitfication  and  Salvation,  is  the  Goodnefs  and  Love  of  God, 
"  whereby  He  chofe  us  before  the  World. 

"  2.  After  That,  God  granteth  us  to  be  called  by  the  preach- 
"  ing  of  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrifi ;  when  the  pirit  of  the 
"  Lord  is  poured  upon  us :  By  whofe  Guiding  and  Governance 
"  we  be  led  to  fettle  our  Tru/  in  God,  and  hpe  for  the  Perfor- 
"  mance  of  his  Promife. 

"  3.  With  this  Choice  is  joined,  as  Companion,  the  mortifying 
"  of  the  Old  Man,  that  is,  of  our  Affe<flions  and  Lulls. 

"  4.  From  the  fame  Spirit  alfo  cometh  our  Sati3iJicatio?r,  the 
"  Lo've  of  God  and  of  our  Neighbour ;  Juilice  and  Uprightnefs 
"  of  Life. 

"  5.  Filially,  to  fay  all  in  Sum,  whatever  is  in  us,  or  may  be 
*'  done  of  us,  honeft,  pare,  true,  and  good  ;  That  altogether 
*'  fpringeth  out  of  this  pleafant  Rock.     The  Gcodnefs,  Love,. 
"  Choice,  and  unchangeable  Purpofe  of  God,  He  is  the  Caufe  ; 
"  the  reft  are  the  Fruits  and  Effeiis. 

"  6.  Yet  are  alfo  the  Choice  and  Spirit  of  God  and  Chriji 
"  Himfelf  Caufes  conjoined  and  coupled  with  each  other  :  wliicli 
"  may  be  reckon'd  am.ongft  the  principal  Caufes  of  Salvation^ 

"  7.  As  oft  therefore  as  we  ufe  to  fay,  tiiat  we  are  made 
"  righteous  and  fanned  by  Faith  oiily,  it  is  meant  thereby,  thjit 
"  Faith,  or  rather  Trufi  alone  doth  lay  hard  upon  *,  underftanil, 
"  and  perceive  our  righteous-making  to  be  given  us  of  God^'v^^- 
"  ly  ;  That  is  to  fay,  by  no  Defcrts  of  our  own,  bat  by,:he 
*'  Free  Grace  of  the  Almighty  Father. 

"  8,  More- 
*  For  hold. 


58        A  fummarj  View  of  the: 

are  the  concurring  Caufes,  operating,  in  their 
Order  and  Degree,  towards  M2in's  Jirjl,  or 
fnal  J iijiif  cation.  It  would  be  altogether  wrong 
to  fcparate  them,  or  to  fet  them  one  againfi  an- 
other^ or  to  advance  any  onCy  or  more^  to  the 
Exclujion  of  the  rejl. 

I  may  obferve  further,  for  the  preventing 
any  Miftake  or  Mifconception,  that  I  might 
have  coniider'd  Baptifm  as  an  external  Ifijiru^ 
ment  of  Reception.^  in  the  Hand  of  Man^  as 
Man  bears  a  Part  in  that  Sacrament ;  and  fo 
there  v/ould  be  two  Inftruments  of  Reception^ 
external  and  internal,  Baptifm  and  Faith : 
And  if  any  one  chufes  fo  to  flate  the  Cafe,  I 
fliall  not  obje(5l  to  it.  But  having  mention'd 
Baptifm  before,  as  the  Injirument  of  Conveyance 
on  God\  Part,  which  is  moft  confiderable,  I 
thought  it  of  lefs  Moment  to  bring  it  up  again 

under 


"  8.  Moreover  Frt///9  doth  ingender  in  us  Z.5--y^  of  our  Neigh- 
**  hour,  and  fuch  Works  as  God  is  pleafed  withal :  For,  if  it  be 
-•'  a  li^jely  and  true  Faith,  quickned  by  the  Holy  Ghoft,  She  is 
*'  the  Mother  of  all  good  faying  and  doing.  By  This  fhort 
"  Tale,  it  is  evident  by  what  Means  we  attain  to  be  righteous. 
**  For,  not  by  the  Worthlnefi  of  our  own  Defervings  were  we 
"  heretofore  fZ^o/i";/,  or  long  agoy2zi;f</,  but  by  the  o;;/>' M<?rf v  of 
*<  God,  and  pure  Grace  of  Chrift  our  Lord  ;  whereby  we  were 
'*  in  Him  made  to  do  thofe  good  Works  that  God  had  appoint- 
*'  ed  for  us  to  walk  in.  And  iS^Htvci  good  Works  c:^VlX\o\.defer've 
♦*  to  make  us  righteous  before  God,  yet  do  they  fo  clea've  unto 
"  Faith,  that  neither  Faith  can  be  found  nvitbout  them,  nor 
**  good  Works  be  any  where  found  ivithout  Faith."  Fol.  68.  in 
H'eylin  Qninouartic.  Contr.  p.  105. 


DoSlrine  of  Juftification.        59 

under  a  different  View,  becaufe  That  would 
be  underftood  of  Courfe. 

I  cannot  difmifs  this  Head  without  throw- 
ing in  a  Word  or  two  of  the  wife  Provifions 
made  by  our  Church,  in  bringing  Children  to 
Bciptijm, thkt  They  may  be  both  regenerated  d^ndi 
juftified  from  the  firft.  It  is  right  and  fafe  for 
the  Children  Themfelves :  And  not  only  fo  ; 
but  the  very  doing  it  is  further  of  Ufe  to  pre- 
vent, or  remove  the  Perplexities  raifed  by  con- 
tentious Men  on  the  Subjed:  of  juftification. 

Some  will  tell  you  that  good  Works  are  not , 
Conditions  of  Juftification  :  It  is  certainly  true 
in  the  Cafe  of  Infants  (which  is  the  common 
Cafe  with  us)  for  neither  JVorks^  nor  Faith,  are 
Cofiditions  required  of  Tbem  :  They  2iXQJufiified 
without  either,  by  they^r^  Mercy  of  God,  thro' 
the  alone  Merits  of  Christ. 

Some  will  plead,  that  Man  is  utterly  imabk 
to  dsi  good  Works  before  He  vh  juftified  and  re^ 
generated :  They  fhould  rather  fay,  before  He 
receives  Grace ;  for  That  is  the  real ,  and  the 
full  Truth.  But  what  Occafion  or  Need  is 
there,  for  difturbing  common  Chriftians  at  all 
with  Points  of  this  Nature  now  ?  Are  we  not 
All  of  Us,  or  nearly  All,  (Ten  thoufand  to 
One)  baptized  in  Infancy ;  and  therefore  rege- 
nerated  ^nd  jufiified  o£  Courfty  and  thereby  pre- 
pared 


6o        id  fummary  View  of  the 

pared  for  good  Works,  as  foon  as  capable  of 
them  by  our  Years  ?  Good  Works  muft,  in  this 
Cafe  at  leafl  (which  is  our  C2.{e)foi/ow  after 
'Juftification  and  Regeneration^  if  they  are  at 
all :  And  therefore  how  impertinent  and  frivo- 
lous is  it,  if  not  hurtful  rather,  to  amufe  the 
Ignorant  with  fuch  Notions,  which,  in  our 
Circumftances,  may  much  better  be  fpared  ? 
Our  Church  has  fo  well  provided  for  that  Cafe, 
by  Infant  Baptifm^  that  We  need  not  fo  much 
as  enquire  whether  good  Works  precede,  or 
follow  J  unification  in  the  Cafe  of  Adults,  fince 
it  is  not  our  Cafe.  V/e  are  very  fure  that,  in 
cur  Circumftances,  good  Works  do  not  precede, 
hut  follow  Juftification,  becaufe  they  come  after 
Baptifm,  if  they  come  at  all.  The  Truth,  and 
the  whole  Truth  of  this  Matter  feems  to  lie 
in  the  followins;  Particulars. 

1.  Infants  are  jufiified  in  Baptifm,  without 
either  Jv?//Z',  ov  Works ;  and,  iiThty  grow  up 
in  Faith  and  Obedience,  the  Privilege  is  conti- 
nued to  Them  :  If  not,  it  is  taken  away  from 
Them,   till  They  repent. 

2.  Adults,  comm'g  fitly  p7'epared,  are  imme- 
diately jufiified  in  Baptifm,  by  Faith,  without 
any  outward  Works,  Without  d.  good  Life,  while 
They  have  not  'Time  for  it ;  But  if  a  good  Life 
does  not  enliie  afterwards,  when  Time  and  Op- 
portunities 


DoBrlm  of  Juftification.        6i 

port  lint  ties  are  give  jz ;  Th^j  forfeit  the  Privilege 
received,  till  They  repent. 

3.  Adults,  coming  to  Baptifm  in  Hypocrify 
or  Itnpe?iite?2cy  (like  Simon  Magus)  are  not 
jiiftifed,  v^hatever  their  Faith  be ;  becaufe 
They  want  the  necejjary  and  ejjential  Salifica- 
tions, or  Conditions :  But,  if  They  after v^ards 
turn  to  God  w^ith  true  Faith  and  Repentajice , 
then  They  enter  into  a  jiiftified  State,  and  fo 
continue  all  along,  unlefs  They  relapfi. 

4.  Neither  Faith  nor  Works  are  required  in 
Infants :  Both  Faith  and  inward  Works  (a 
Change  of  Heart)  are  required  in  All  Adults : 
Faith  and  Works  (inward  and  outward)  are  in- 
difpenfably  required  in  all  Adults  ^\\o  furvive 
their  Baptifm,  in  Proportion  to  their  Opportuni- 
ties, Capacities, 01  Abilities,    But  enough  of  This. 

V. 
Having  hitherto  endeavour'd  to  explain 
the  Nature,  and  to  fet  forth  the  Caifes  and  In-^ 
firuments  of  'Juftification,  in  as  clear  a  Manner 
as  I  could  ;  I  proceed  nov/,  lafily,  to  point  out 
fome  Extremes,  v^hich  Many  have  been  found 
to  run  into,  on  the  right  Hand,  or  on  the  left : 
So  hard  a  Thing  is  it  to  obferve  a  middle 
Courfe,  and  to  purfue  the  fafe  and  even  Road, 
Thofe  Rxtr ernes  or  Deviations  are  many,  but 
are  reducible  to  Vno  5  one  of  which,  for  di- 

^"ilinttion 


62        A  fummary  View  of  the 

ftindlion  fake,  I  may  call  the  Froud  Extrefne^ 
as  difdaining  to  accept  the  Grace  of  God^  or  the 
Merits  of  Christ  ;  the  other  may  be  called 
the  Libertine  Extreme^  as  abufing  the  Dodtrines 
of  Grace  and  Satisfa5iion^  to  ferve  the  Ends  of 
JJcentioujhefs, 

1 .  I  Ihall  begin  with  the  Proud  Extreme, 
The  Pagans^  formerly,  were  fo  proud  of  their 
good  Morals,  that  They  conceived  They  had  no 
Need  of  Christ,  either  to  make  Them  bet- 
ter, or  to  fecure  the  Divine  Acceptance  j  and 
therefore  They  would  not  fo  much  as  liflen  to 
the  Terms  of  Chrifiianity  '\, 

The  Pharifaical  Jews  were  as  proud,  of 
prouder,  in  their  Way,  claiming,  as  it  were, 
yifiification  as  a  Debt  r,  rather  than  a  Favour,  as 
if  They  had  no  need  of  Grace,  or  were  too 
exalted  to  accept  of  Pardon.  This  high  Con- 
ceit of  Themfelves  and  their  own  Perfedlions, 
made  Them  averfe  to  Christ,    and   kept 

Them 


9  Muhi  enim  gloriantur  de  Operihus,  &  invenis  multos  Paga- 
ttos  propterea  nolle  fieri  Chriftianos,  quia  quafi  fufRciunt  fibi  de 
iona  Vita  fua.  Bene  'vinjere  Opus  eft,  ait :  Quid  mihi  prnscep- 
turus  eft  Chriilus  ?  Ut  bene  vivam  ?  jam  bene  vivo  :  Quid  Mihi 
necefTarius  eft  Chriftus  ?  Nullum  Homicidium,  nullum  Furtum, 
ftullam  Rapinam  facie,  Res  alienas  non  concitpifco,  rmWo  Jdulterio 
contarainor  :  Nam  inveniatur  aliquid  in  Vita  mea  quod  reprehen-^ 
datuiy  &  Qui  reprehenderit,  faciat  Chriftianum.  JugujVcn.  in 
Pfalxxx.  Enarr.  ii.  p.  171.  Tom.  IV. 

'  Rom.  iv.  4.  xi.  6.  Compare  Truman.  Great  Propitiation, 
p.  184,  30DV 


DoSirine  of  Juftification.        63 

Them  from  fubmitting  to  the  Gofpel-Way  of 
yiijiijication,  or  Salvation, 

The  Pelagians,  of  the  fifth  Century,  by 
over-magnifying  Free-will  and  natural  AbiH- 
ties,  at  the  fame  Time  depreciating,  or  flight- 
ing Divine  Grace ,  unwarily  fell  into  the  Proud 
Extreme.',  tho'  not  fo  grievoufly  as  the  Jews 
and  Pagans  had  done  before.  St.  Austin, 
however,  very  juilly  made  Ufeof  the  fameWay 
of  Reafoning  againfl  Them,  which  St.  Paul 
had  made  Ufe  of  againft  Jews  and  Pagans-, 
becaufe  the  fame  geiieral  Reafons  concluded 
equally  againfl  AUk 

The  Schoolmen  of  later  Days,  and  the  Roman- 
ijls  flill  later,  one  by  fetting  up  a  Kind  of 
Merit  of  Congruity  ^  as  to  Works  preceding 
Juflification,  and  the  other  by  maintaining  a 

Merit 

•  Hoc  poflumus  dicere  quod  de  Lege  diclt  Apoftolus,  fi  per 

Naturam  Juftitia,  ergo  Chrijius gratis  moftuxs  eji. Qui  fuis 

Merit  is  Praemia  tamquam  debit  a  expedlant,  nee  ipfa  Merita  Dei 
Gratiee  tribuunt,  fed  <viribus  proprias  voluntatis,  ficut  didlum  ell 
de  carnali  Ifrael,  perfequentes  Legem  Jujiitidc,  in  Legem  "Jujlities 
nonper'veniunt.  Square?  ^lia  non  ex  Fide,  fed  tamquam  ex  Qper- 
ibus.  Rom.  ix.  31,  32.     Ipfa  eft  enim  Juftitia  ex  Fide,   quam 

Gentes  apprehenderunt,  de  quibus  diftum  eft.  Rom.  ix.  50. -► 

Ipfa  eft  Juftitia  ex  Fide,  qua  credimus  nos  jujiijicari,  hoc  eft, 
jufios  Jieri,  Gratia  Dei  per  Jefum  Chriftum  Dominum  noftrum— - 
Quae  ex  Deo  Juftitia  in  Fide,  in  Fide  utique  eft,  qua  credimus 
nobis  Juftitiam  Di<vinitus  dari,  non  a  Nobis,  in  Nobis,  7ioJiris 
Viribus  fieri.  Auguftin.  Paulino  Epift.  CLXXXVI.  p.  664,  666. 
Tom.  II. 

^  Againft  Merit  of  Congruity,  See  the  Xlir^  Article  of  our 
•Church, 


64        A  fummary  View  of  the 

Merit  of  Condignity  "  with  rerpe(5t  to  Works 
following,  and  by  admitting  Works  of  Super- 
erogation'''^^ have  apparently  run  too  far  into 
the  Proud  Extreme  5  only  differently  modified, 
or  under  a  Form^  fomewhat  different  from 
That  of  the  felf-affuming  Claimants  of  older 
Times.  Wherefore  the  Firft  Reformers,  find- 
ing that  the  fame  general  Reafons,  which 
St.  Paul  had  made  Ufe  of  in  another  Cafe, 
might  be  juftly  applicable  in  this  Cafe  alfo ; 
They  laid  hold  of  them,  and  urged  them  with 
irrefiftible  Force,  againfl  all  Kinds  of  human 
Merit,  or  pretended  iWm/,  however  difguis'd, 
or  however  fet  oif  with  Art,  or  Subtilty.  Thus 
came  the  Do(flrine  of  Juflification  by  Faith 
alone  x,  that  is  to  fay,  by  the  alone  Merits  and 
Crofs  0/ Christ  (as  Biiliop  Jewel  interprets 
ity)  to  be  a  diilinguiihing  Principle  of  the 
Reformation. 

The  Socinians,  by  rejeding  Christ'j  Sa^ 
tisfaciiony  and  of  Courfe  {landing  upon  their 
01VH  Works  as  available  to  Salvation,  independe7it 
of  it,  have  only  chofen  another  Way  of  com- 
mitting the  fame  Fault,  and  of  running  into 

the  Proud  Extreme. 

The 

»  Co?iclL  Trident,  SefT.  VI.  Can.  32.     Bellarmin.  de  Tuftificat. 
L.  V.  c.  17. 

*  Againft  which,  See  the  XlV'h  Article  of  our  Church. 

•  See  the  Xl^^  Article  of  our  Church. 
y  Je^vel,  Dti.  of  Apology,  p.  66. 


DoBrim  of  Juftificatlon.       65 

The  Beijls,  who  boafl  of  Their  Morality  z, 
in  Oppofition  to  Gofpel-Faith  and  Gofpel-Obe- 
dience^  are>  in  this  Refped:,  fo  nearly  allied  to 
the  Pagan  Philofophers  Who  lived  in  Chriftian 
Times,  that  They  may  be  faid  to  fall  under 
the  fame  Predicament  with  Them  ;  excepting 
only  the  additional  Aggravation  of  Their  Apof- 
tafy  from  the  Faith  whereunto  They  had  been 
baptized. 

Thofe  Enthufiajis,  Who  fear  not  to  boafl 
even  of  a  fmkfs  PerfeBion  in  this  Life  5  They^ 
(whatever  Their  Pretences  are)  are  remarkably 
peccant  in  the  Proud  Extreme^  even  to  a  De- 
gree of  ikf^^^z^,  and  ftand  condemned  by  many 
exprefs  Paflages  both  of  Old  Teftament  and 
New. 

Lajily,  If  there  be  any  amongfl  Us,  as  pro- 
bably there  may,  who,  tho'  knowing  Them- 
felves  to  be  Sin?2erSj  yet  think  that  the  good 
Works  of  Alms,  or  other  the  like  bounden  Du- 
ties, WiWfatisfy  for  their  Sins;  and  who  there- 

VoL.  II.  Z  upon 

*  Their  main  Principle  is  thus  exprefs'd  in  a  Latin  Diftich. 

Haud  crucient  Animum  quae  circa  Religionem 
Vexantur  Lites ;  Sit  modo  Vita  proba. 
Baro.  Herbert.  See  my  Difcourfe  on  Fundamentals,  P-  57,  58, 59, 

Near  akin  to  Thefe,  are  Such  as  magnify  moral  Virtues,  Pagan 
Virtues,  as  acceptable  in  themfelves,  and  needing  no  Atonement, 
nor  Sacrament,  to  recommend  them  to  the  Divine  Acceptance. 
See  The  Nature,  Obligation,  and  Efficacy  of  the  Chrifii an  Sacra- 
ments, p.  56,  57,  65.     And  Sup^kment,  p.  40,  41,  isV.  52,53,  54, 


66         A  fummary  View  of  the 

upon  conceive  that  God  would  do  Them  Wrongs 
if  He  fhould  nbt,  for  Their  ^oo^  Deeds,  pardon 
Their  evil  Deeds  j  Such  alfo  may  be  faid  to  err 
in  the  Frond  Extreme,  not  confidering  that  all 
Their  good  Deeds  are  only  fo  msiwy  Jtrici  Dues, 
and  that  the  paying  off  a  Debt  in  Part  entitles 
no  Man  to  a  Dijcharge  for  the  Remainder.  God, 
for  Christ's  Sake  »,  may  give  a  Difcharge  for 
the  whole,  to  every  penitent  Offender,  after  His 
fincerely  performing  fome  Fart  of  His  Duty  : 
Bat  a  Man's  ovt^n  good  Works,  be  they  ever  fo 
many,   or  fo  great,  cannot  in   themfehes  be 

pleaded 

*  Non  patilur  enim  jnjiuin  Dei  Judicium,  ut  jujium  cenfeat 
Aliquem  qui  Jujiitiam  non  habeat :  Non  habet  vero  Jujiitiam 
Jillam  Peccator  nifi  in  Chrijio,  &  per  myfticam  arftifllmamque  illam 
UnioTiem  cum  Chrillo.  Jerefn.  xx.i\i.  6.  —  z  Cor.  v.  21.  i  Cor. 
i.  30.  Qusque  idco  tantopere  inculcatur  in  N.  T.  ubi  Fideles 
fexcentis  in  Locis  dicuntur  effe  in  Chrijio.  Et  celebratur  pariter 
in  V.  T.  in  P/al.xlv.  Ca?itico  Canticorum  toto.  i/27.  liv.  5. 
Hof.  ii.  18,  19.  Quia  fcilicet  in  ca  eft  'FmxdiZmtnXMmJuJii/icationis 
Pecxatoris  coram  Deo.  Vinculum  vero  hujus  Unionis  przecipuum, 
abfque  quo  Uaio  h^fc  nullatenus  confiftit,  eft  Fides  aftualis  in 
Chriftum,  moriturum  olim,  nunc  mortuum,  inAduItis;  ve\  Sfi- 
rifui  Fiiiei  in  Infantibus  eledlis.  Weffdiiis,  Difrert.Academ.p.148. 
Tum  tandem  jujlifuari  Peccatorem  coram  Deo  fola  Fide,  qua 
dextram  dat  Sponib  ac  Sponfori,  ejufque  dextram  tenet,  &  qua 
fola  connuhium  flahile  cum  ipfo  contrahens,  Jujiitia  'vicaria  ejus 

imputatur  illi  nifua,  &  Jus  accipit  ad  omnia  ejus  Bona. Bona 

Opera  portea  imponuntur  juftificatae  (Regina;)  ut  in  quibusnon  eft 
Can/a  regnandi,  fed  /''m  tantum  ad  Regnum  Glorias.  Omnes 
ergo  externe  t'ocati  (quibus  Rex  Meflias  Sponfor  Foederis,  cum 
yicjlitia  vicaria,  omniquc  Gratia  ejus  quotidie  offertur  in  Evan- 
jfelio,  Quibufque  ipfe  dextram  fuajn  co7tjugalem  blande  porrigit) 
ii'metipfosdiligenter  &  ferio  examinare  debent,  num  huic  Regince^ 
Jcu  Ecchfia'  verie,  ut  ejus  Membra  genuiaa,  accenferi  queant. 
fbuL  p.  281. 


DoBrine  of  JuG:i{icsition»        67 

pleaded  by  Way  of  proper  Jtonement  for  His 
Sins. 

Having  thus  briefly  enumerated  the  moll,  or 
the  moft  common  Miftakes  or  Mi/carriages  in 
the  Matter  oi'Jujiificatm^^  on  the  aJJumingSidiQf 
derogating  from  the  Honour  of  God's  free 
Grace ^  and  from  the  Merits  of  Chr  ist,  which 
are  the  valuable  Conjideration  upon  which,  or 
for  the  fake  of  which  only,  God  jufiijies  as 
Many  as  Hedoes  juftify ;  I  fliall  now  proceed 
to  obferve  fomething  of  the  common  Miftakes 
in  the  other  Extreme^  which  concerns  the  ne- 
ceflary,  eflential  Conditions^  or  Salifications  re- 
quired in  every  Adult  whom  God  (hall  accept. 

2.  It  is  a  dangerous  and  fatal  Extreme  fo  to 
magnify,  or  to  pretend  to  magnify  Grace,  or 
Faith,  as  thereby  to  exclude,  fink,  or  any  Way 
lejfen  the  Neceftity  of  true  and  fmcere,  and  (fo 
fer  as  Human  Infirmities  permit)  univerfal  Obe- 
dience b.     There  is  the  greater  Need  of  the  ut- 

Vol.  II.  Z  2  moft 

^  Sigfia  Fidel  juftiflcantls-funt  i .  Totum  velle  Chriftum  fuum 
effe,  non  tantum  \xX.  Sacer^otem,  fed  etiam  ut  Regem.  z.  Solum 
velle  Chriftum,  cum  Abnegatione  Jujiitiie  propria,  omniumque 
SanS}onim,  quae  nulla  eft.  3.  Gaudere  in  Fide,  &  animofa  in  ad- 
verfis  Fid'ucia  ftare  ad  Dextram  Regis,  eique  adhserere,  etiam 
dum  ducit  per  Ignes  &  Aquas.  4.  Abrogate  Voluntatem  propriam 
quandoque  natiiralem,  femper  pranjam  ac  pcwerfam,  &  Regis 
njoluntati  arcanse  &  revelata;  fe  patienter  ac  prompte  fubmittere. 
Si  Hornm  nihil  in  femetipfis  deprehendant,  hoc  ipfo  Momento, 
abfque  uUa  dilatione,  Fidef.?:cera  Fcedus  corijugale  contrahant, 

l^i Si  vero  h(M^um  aliquid  in  fe  ipfis  inveniant  Gratias  im- 

jaofiale*  agaat.x-^  Stent  ^^Qui  in  Fids  animofi^  &c.  p-  ^Si,  sSz, 


68         A  fummary  View  of  the 

moft  Caution  and  Circumfpedtion  in  this  Par- 
ticular, becaufe  corrupt  Nature  is  very  prone 
to  liften  to,  and  to  fall  in  with  any  appearing 
Arguments,  any  Pretexts,  Colours,  Handles 
for  Relaxation  of  Duty^  and  for  reconciling  Their 
Hopes  and  Their  Liijis  together.  St.  Pa  u  l  was 
aware,  that  Some  of  ill  Minds  might  be  apt  to 
pervert  His  found  DocStrine  of  Jujiification  by 
Faith ^  to  the  Purpofes  of  Licentioiifnefs ;  But 
Truth  was  not  to  be  fupprefs'd  for  Fear  Some 
fliould  abufe  it  (For  what  is  there  which  Some 
or  Other  may  not  make  an  ill  Ufeof  ?)  Neither 
would  it  have  been  right  to  let  one  Extreme  go 
uncorreBed^  only  for  the  preventing  the  pofli- 
ble,  or  even  probable  Danger  from  weak,  or 
evil-minded  Men,  Who  might  take  the  Handle 
to  run  into  another.  St.  Paul  therefore  was 
content  fo  to  corre6t  an  Errour  on  the  right 
Hand,  as,  at  the  fame  Time,  to  guard  againfl 
a  greater  on  the  left  c. 

Notwithftanding  all  his  Guards^  Some  there 
were  (as  He  fuppofed  there  would  be)  who  even 
in  the  Apojlolical  Age  did  pervert  the  Dodlrine 
of  Grace,  to  ferve  the  Ends  of  Licentioiifnefs  : 
And  Some  or  Other,  probably,  have  done  the 
like,  defignedly  or  undefignedly,  in  every  Age 

fince. 

*  See  Rom.  iii.  51.    vi.  i^  ^c. 


DoSirine  of  Juftification.        69 

Unce.  St.  Paul  had  taught,  that  none  of  our 
Works  are  pure,  or  ferfeSi  enough  to  abide  the 
Divine  Scrutiny,  or  to  claim  Juftification  as  a 
Debt^,  or  a  Matter  oi  Right  %  which  is  un- 
doubtedly true :  But  Libertines  changed  that 
true  and  Jound  Propofition  into  this  very  unfound 
one ;  thzt  good  Works  are  not  fo  much  as  ne- 
celTary  Cojiditions  or  Salifications  for  Jufiifica- 
tion.  St.  Paul  had  alfo  taught,  xki2X  Faith, 
or  an  humble  'Reliance  upon  the  Grace  of  God 
thro'  the  Merits  of  Christ,  in  Oppofition  to 
Self-'boajting  «,  or  ftanding  upon  the  PerfeBion 
of  our  own  Performances,  was  our  only  fafe 
Plea  before  God,  our  ovAy  Jure  Way  to  htjuf- 
tified,  after  doing  the  beft  We  could  for  per- 
forming our  bounden  Duties :  This  true  and 
important  Propofition  Some  turn'd  into  quite 
another,  contradictory  to  the  whole  Tenour  of 
the  Gojpel':,  Viz.  That  Faith  alone,  a  dead 
Faith,  feparate  from  evangelical  Obedience,  is 
the  only  Condition  of  Salvation.  Againft  fuch 
Dogmatizers,  and  againft  fuch  loofe  Principles 
St.  James  engaged,  reproving  and  confuting 
the  Men  and  their  Errors  in  few,  but  very 
ftrongWordsf.    St.  Peter  alfo  and  St.  John, 

^  Rom.  iv.  4.    xl.  6. 

«  Rom.  iii.  27.    I  Cor.  1,29,  31.    Efhef.  ii.  9,    Rom.iv.  ^^ 
^  James  ii.  1 4—26, 


70         A  fummary  View  of  the. 

tho'  more  obfcurely,  combated  the  fame  Er- 
rour  g. 

That  Some  or  Other,  in  after-Ages,  were 
very  prone  to  run  into  the  Extreme  of  Licen- 
tiotifnefs^  taking  an  Handle  from  the  Dodlrine 
of  Grace  5  as  Others  were  apt  to  run  into  the 
Proud  Extreme^  from  the  Dodlrine  of  the  Value 
and  NeceJJity  of  a  good  Life  ;  may  be  judged 
from  what  a  Father  of  the  V^h  Century  fays 
in  Oppolition  to  Both  ^. 

It  is  certain  that  the  Jhttinomian  and  Soliji-' 
dian  Doctrines,  as  taught  by  Some  in  later 
Times,  have  deviated  into  a  Wild  ExtremCy 
and  have  done  infinite  Mifchief  to  praCiical 
Chrifiianity,  I  have  not  Room  to  enumerate, 
much  lefs  to  confute,  the  many  erroneous  and 
dangerous  Tenets  which  have  come  from  That 
Quarter  :  Neither  would  I  be  forward  to  ex- 
pofe  them  again  to  publick  View,     They  have 

been 


s  2  Ytt.  i.  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10.     I  John  iii.  7,  8,  9,  10. 

'^  Si  fc  Homo  juftificaverit,  &  dAjuftitiafua  praefumferit,  cadiit 
Si  confiderans  &  cogitans  Infirmitatem  fuam,  &  praefumens  de 
Mifericordia  Dei,  neglexerit  Vitam  fuam  mundare  a  Peccatis  fuis, 
&  le  omni  Gurgite  Flagitiorum  demerferit,  &  ipfe  cadit.  Prae- 
fumtio  de  Jufxitia  quafi  dextera  eft :  Cogitatio  de  Impunitate  Pec- 
catoram,  quafi  Jinijlra  cft.  Audiamus  Vocem  Dei  dicentem 
Nobis,  lie  dec  litis  s  in  dexter  am  aut  Jinijiram,  Prov.  iv.  27.  Ne 
prajfumas  ad  Regnum  de  Jujiitia  tua :  Ne  praefumas  ad  peccan- 
dum  de  Mifericordia  Dei.  Ab  utroque  Te  revocat  Prasceptum  di- 
vinum,  &  ab  ilia  Ahiiudine,  k  ab  ifta  Profunditate  :  lUuc  fi  af- 
cenderis,  prascipitaberis ;  hac  fi  lapfus  fueris,  demergerisj//«^a^/j{?. 
in  Pfal.  xxxi.  p.  1 7 1 .  Tom.  IV, 


DoSirine  of  Juftification.         71 

been  often  co7ifidered^  and  often  confuted.  Let 
them  rather  be  buried  in  Oblivion,  and  never 
rife  up  again  to  bring  Reproach  upon  the  Chri^ 
fiian  Name.  But  take  We  due  Care  fo  to  main- 
tain the  Doflrine  of  Faith,  as  not  to  exclude 
the  Neceffity  oi  good  Works.  -,  and  fo  to  maintain 
good  Works,  as  not  to  exclude  the  NeceJJtty  of 
Ch  r  I  s  t'j  Atonement,  or  the  Free  Grace  of  God, 
Take  We  Care  to  perform  all  evangelical  Du- 
ties to  the  utmoft  of  our  Power,  aided  by 
God's  Spirit  j  and  when  we  have  fo  done,  fay,, 
that  we  are  unprofitable  Servants,  having  no 
ftridt  Claim  to  a  Reward,  but  yet  looking  for 
one,  and  accepting  it  as  a  Favour,  not  chal- 
lenging it  as  due  in  any  Right  of  our  own  -,  due 
only  upon^r^^  Promife,  and  that  Promife  made 
not  in  Confideration  of  any  Deferts  of  ours,  but 
in  and  thro'  the  alone  Merits,  adlive  and  paf- 
five,  of  Ch  R I  s  T  J  E  s  u  s  our  Lord. 


Z  4  .AM 


A  N 

E  N  QUI R Y 

Concerning  the 

ANTICLUITY 

O  F    T  H  E 

PRACTICE 

O    F 

Infant-Communion, 

As  founded  on  the  Notion  of  its 
Strict    Necessity. 


AN 


ENQUIRY,  &c, 

HE  Ankle  of  Infant'Co?nmU' 
nion,  tho'  not  much  thought 
of  amongft  us  (as  we  have 
not  had  much  Occafion)  is 
a  Part  of  the  general  Subjedt 
of  the  Euchanjl,  and  may 
deferve  fome  Conlideration  at  this  Time  ;  if  it 
be  only  for  the  Sake  of  cleariag  up  a  Point  of 
Dodtrine  in  fome  Degree,  and  for  the  obviat- 
ing fuch  Scruples  as  have  been  raifed  about  it. 
Some  have  cenfured  it,  as  A7icie?it  Practice 
built  upon  erroneous  Principles,  aggravating  eve- 
ry Circumftance  after  an  invidious  Manner,  in 
Order  to  raife  a  general  Prejudice  againft  the 
Ancients »,  as  of  flight  Authority. 

Others 

*  Dallaus  de  Ufu  Patrum,  L.  I.  c.  viii.  p.  175.  L.  II.  c.  iv. 
p.  293.  De  Cult.  Relig.  L.  V.  c.  3,  4,  20. 
Clericusy  Animadv.  in  Op.  Auguftini,  p.  521, 
Whitby^  Stri^ura  Patrum,  p.  212,  &c. 


76  An  Enquiry  concerning 

Others  have  laid  hold  on  the  fame  Topick, 
for  finking  the  Credit  of  the  Fathers  with  re- 
fpe(5t  to  one  particular  Point  ^  namely.  That  of 
I?2fa?it-Baptijm :  For,  lay  They,  if  the  An- 
cients were  fo  widely  miftaken  in  regard  to  In- 
fant-Commimion  'y  what  great  flrefs  can  be  laid, 
either  upon  Their  Judgmefit,  or  Their  Prac- 
tice ^  in  the  Article  of  Infant -Baptifin^'^ 

Others,  laflly  (tho'  very  Few  in  thefe  Parts 
of  the  World)  have  declared  their  Approbation 
o^  Infafit-Commimion^znA  have  ferioufly  pleaded' 
for  a  Revival  of  it.  Dr.  Bedell,  of  the  lafl 
Century  (Bifliop  of  Kilmore  in  Ireland)  feems 
to  have  been  in  thofe  Sentiments  ^ :  And  now 
lately,  a  pretty  large  ElTay  has  been  publifh'd, 
on  Purpofe  to  recommend  The  Ancient  Prac- 
tice {zs  it  is  fuppofed)  of  Infant -Communion^, 

Thefe  Things  conlidered.  The  Queftion  ap- 
pears to  be  worth  the  looking  into:  And  fo  my 
prefent  Defign  is  to  offer  fome  Thoughts  upon 
it,  in  Order  to  fet  that  Matter,  fo  far  as  I  may, 
in  a  *]uft  Light,  for  the  removing  Scruples,  or 
for  the  redifying  Mifconceptions. 

It  feems  to  be  a  Miftake  to  imagine,  that' 
Infant -Communio7i  (if  we  underftand  it  of  inere" 

Infants) 

t>  See  Dr.  Wall  HiA.  of  Inf.  Bapt.  Part  11.  c.  9.  §  17.V6l.II. 

p.  44".  Ed.  3. 

•^  Bifliop  Bedell,  in  Ufi)er\  Letters/,  N®  163.  p.  44^,  445. 

**  An  Eilay  in  Favour  of  the  ancient  Praftice  of  giving  the  £3-. 
char'ifi  to  (Children.     By  Ja7nes  Peirce  of  E;vofi,  A,  D.  1 728, 


Infant-Communion.  77 

Infants)  was  xht  Ancient  Pradlice  of  the  Church. 
There  is  no  Appearance  of  any  Thing  of  that 
Kind  before  the  Middk  of  the  Third  Century, 
the  Time  of  Cyprian  j  and  That  in  the 
African  Churches  only :  And  all  that  can  be 
proved  from  Cyprian,  is,  that  Children  (Boys 
and  Girls,  not  mere  Infants)  were  then  and 
there  brought  to  Communion.  Neither  is  there 
any  clear  Proof,  that  They  were  brought  thi- 
ther under  a  Notion  of  any  firiSi  Neceffity  : 
For  it  might  be  done  upon  fuch  prudential 
Reafons  as  move  Us  to  bring  Children  to  Church 
at  this  Day,  training  Them  up  in  the  Way 
that  They  ihould  go ;  or,  if  it  was  founded 
upon  ftronger  Reafons,  they  might  be  fuch 
as  refolved  only  into  the  then  prefent  'Expedi- 
ency^ or  into  a  fuper-abundant  Caution ;  as  I 
fhall  endeavour  to  make  out  more  at  large  in 
the  Sequel. 

From  the  Middle  of  the  Third  Century  ^  down 
to  the  Beginning  of  the  Fifths  we  hear  little 
or  Nothing  of  the  Pradlice,  We  muft  take  a 
large  Stride,  from  St.  Cyprian,  down  as  low 
as  to  St.  Austin,  before  We  come  at  any 
Thing  which  does  but  look  that  Way.  In 
St.  Austin's  Works,  from  the  Time  of  the 
Pelagian  Controverfy  (which  began  about 
A.  D.  410.)  there  are  fome  PaiTages  which  have 

been 
t 


78         An  Enquiry  concerning 

been  thought  unconteftable  Evidences  of  th6 
FraElke  of  Infant-Commiinlon  in  His  Time,  as 
likewile  of  its  being  founded  upon  a  Notion 
of  ilridl  Necejjity^  as  taught  in  John  the  vi^^. 

I. 

St.  Austin  hath  been  fuppofed  to  main- 
tain, that  Infant-Communion  is  as  necejjaryX.o  Life 
Eternal,  as  Infant-Baptifm  j  and  that  baptized 
Infants  have  as  much  Need  of  the  Eucharijiy 
as  the  imbaptized  have  of  the  other  Sacrament; 
Both  Sacraments  being  alike  necejjary  to  the  Sal- 
vation of  all  Perfons. 

But  St.  Austin  hath  never  direBly  and  in 
'Terms  faid,  that  Baptized  Infants  cannot  htfaved 
without  the  Eucharifl :  It  is  no  exprejs  Doc- 
trine of  That  great  Man,  but  a  Confequence 
only,  drawn  from  his  Words ;  and  not  by  any 
confiderable  Writers  of  His  Time^  or  near  it  (fo 
far  as  appears)  but  by  Some  who  came  long  after 
Him,  and  in  ContradiSlion  to  Thofe  who  lived 
in  the  Ages  next  to  Him.  Whether  the  G?«/^- 
quence,  fo  drawn  and  fix'd  upon  Him  in  later 
Ages,  be  really  y^^/  ;  and  whether  His  Mean- 
ing was  truly  fuch  as  hath  been  pretended,  is 
now  the  Point  of  Enquiry :  And  I  fl:iall  pro- 
ceed to  examine  into  it  with  fome  Care. 

Firji. 


Infant-Communion.  79 

IFirft. — If  St.  Austin's  other  moil  avowed, 
and  often  repeated  Principles  are  a  {landing  Co?t' 
tradiBio?i  to  the  fuppofed  Necejity  of  Infant- 
Communion ;  That  will  afford  a  flrong  Prefump- 
tion  againft  what  He  has  been  charged  with, 
and  fuch  as  cannot,  or  in  Reafon  ought  not, 
to  be  over- ruled,  but  by  Something  flronger. 
This  being  premifed,  as  a  fafe  general  Ground 
to  reft  upon,  and  abide  by,  I  now  go  on  to 
the  Enquiry. 

St.  Austin's  Dodrine  of  the  compleat  Suf- 
ficiency of  Baptifm  to  the  Salvation  of  Infants, 
is  fo  fully  exprefs'd  many  Ways,  and  fo  fre- 
quently inculcated  in  his  Works;  that  it  is 
fcarce  conceivable,  how  He  could  imagine  The 
Euchariji  to  be  necefjary  over'  and  above  ;  un- 
lefs  we  could  fuppofe  Him  the  moft  inconiift- 
ent,  felf-deftroying  Writer  in  the  World.  To 
come  to  Particulars. 

I .  In  the  firft  Place,  His  conjlant,  Jianding 

DoBrine  is,  that  Baptifm  confers  perfe5l  Remif- 

fion  of  all  Sin  e :  Which  was  alfo  the  known 

Dodlrine  of  the  whole  Church  before  His  Time, 

and  after  ^.    Now,  as  Salvation  muft  of  Courfe 

follow 

e  Qui  regenerantur  in  Chrifto,  Remiffionem  accipiunt  prorfus 
omnium  Peccatorum.  Augujiin.  de  Nupt.  &  Concupifcent.  L.  I. 
c.xxvL  p.  294.  Tom.  X.  Ed.  Bened.  Conf.  p.  299,  423,424,458, 
540.  Tom.  X. 

*'  See  my  Renjiew,  &c.  c.  x.  p.  35:5,  &c. 

And  Bingh^w,  B.  XL  c,  i  J  2.— B,  XIX.  c.  i,  §  2. 

I 


8o         An  Enquiry  concerning 

follow  upon  perfeB  Remiffion  fo  long  as  it 
abides  (and  abide  it  muft  in  Infants  Baptized^ 
'till  guilty  of  aBiial  Sin)  with  what  Senfe  or 
Confiftency  could  St.  Austin  teach,  that  In- 
fants once  baptized  could  have  any  prefent 
Need  of  the  Eucharijiy  to  bring  Them  into 
a  State  of  Salvation  f 

2.  Another  ftanding  Prijiciple  with  St.  Au- 
stin, was,  ih^t  Baptifm,  fingly,  gives  a  pre- 
fent, certain  Title  to  Life  eternal  ^.  How  then 
could  the  fameF^^/Z'^r  confiftently  fay  or  mean, 
that  They  could  not  htfaved  without  the  Eu- 
chariji  ^  ? 

3 .  It  was  likewife  an  avowed  Principle  with 
St.  Austin,  and  the  whole  Church,  that  In- 
fants, by  their  Baptifm,  were  conftituted  H- 
deles^  were  of  the  Number  of  the  Faithful  ^ ; 

which 

s  Simul  Juftitiae,  Vit/sque  atern^e  Secundi  Hominis  Sociati 
renafcuntur  in  Baptifrrto,  Augujiin.  de  Peccat.  Merit.  L.  I.  c.  xvi. 
p.  12.  Abfit  ut  Caufam  Pawulorum  fic  relinquamus,  ut  effe 
Nobis  dicamus  incertuniy  utrum  in  Chrifto  regenerati,  fi  morian- 
tur  parvuli,  tranfeant  in  aeternam  Salutem.  De  Don.  Perfeverant, 
c.  xii.  p.  837.  Tom.  X.  Conf.  p.  273,  274,  279,  291,  292,  318, 
328,  449,  450,  482,  536,680,  686,  899,  902,  1023,  1074, 
Tom.  X.  item  p.  942.  Tom.  V.  &  1 190,  T.  V. 

Quicunque  negat  Parvulos  per  Baptij'mim  Chrifti  a  Perditions 
liberari,  &  Salutem  Tperci^ere  fempifernam,  Anathema  fit.  Con- 
cil.  Carthag.  in  Jugitjiin.  Epilt.  CLXXV.  p.  620,  Tom.  II. 
Conf.  p.  266,  268,  511,  585. 

h  Conf.  Wall's  Hill,  of  Infant-Baptifm,  Part  I.  c.  xv,  §  5, 
Vol.  I.  p.  202. 

'  Parvulum,  etfi  nondum  Fides  ilia,  quas  in  Credentium  Volun- 
tate  confiRic^  j;tm  tamen  ipfms  Fidel  Sacramentum  Fidelem  fAck. 

'—Fidelis 


Infant-Communioni  81 

which  was  as  High  and  Honourable  a  Name  as 
could  be  given  to  ^^//^/ Communicants,  to  true 
andsood  Chriftians.  IF  therefore  Infants  were 
already,  by  Their  Baptifin j'mtitultd  to  the  Name 
and  Privileges  of  Communicants,^  for  the  Time 
being,  They  could  not  want'  the  oiit'ward  Sa- 
crament of  the  EiichariJijtQ  makeThem  more  fo. 

4.  Another  noted  Fiinciple  of  St.  Austin 
was,  that  The  Grace  of  a  Mediator  was  the 
one  Thing  necejjary  to  the  Salvation  of  Infants, 
and  that  fuch  Grace  was  given  Them,  in  and 
by  Baptifm^:  Therefore  again,  by  His  Ac- 
counts, the  partaking  of  the  outward  Sacramerit 
of  the  Fjuchariji  could  not  be  necejjary  to  the 
Salvation  of  baptized  Infants. 

5.  It  was  St.  Austin's  fettled  Ferfuajion^ 
that  Baptized  Infants  could  never  afterwards 
jforfeit  th.Q  falutary  Grace  once  given  at  the  Font, 
till  They  fhould  become  guilty  of  aBual  Sins  % 

Vol.  IL  A  a  From 

- — Fidelis  vocatur,  non  Rem  ipfa  Mente  annuendo,  fed  ipiius  Rei 
Sacramentum  percipiendo.  Auguflin.  AdBonifac.  Ep.  XCVIII. 
(alias  XXIII.)  p.  268. 

Ubi  ergo  Parvulos  ponimus  baptizafos,  nifi  inter  Fideles,  ficut 
unlverfee  ubique  Ecclefite  clamat  AuAoritas  ?  Auguftin.  De  Peccat.- 
Merit.  L.I.  c.  xxxiii.  p.  35.  Conf.  c. xxv.  p.  20.  Item  Serm. 
CCXCiV.  p.  I  ng,  1 190,  1 192.  T.  V. 

'^  /id.  Auguftin.  Epift.  CLXVI.  p.  585,  591,  592.  De  Peccat. 
Merit.  Lib.  I.  c.  xxii,  xxv. 

^  Refpondeo,  tantam  illius  Sacraiiienti,  Hoc  eft,  Baptifmi  Sa- 
iutaris,  effe  Virtutem  in  fkntla  Compage  Corporis  Chrifti,  utj 
femel  generatus  per  Aliorum  Carnalem  Voluptatem,  cum  femel 
¥egeneratui  fuerit  per  Aliorum  Spii;itualem  Voluntatem,  deinceps 

non 


8  2         An  Enquiry  concerning 

From  whence  it  plainly  follows,  that  They 
could  not  forfeit  it  by  Their  not  receiving  the 
Eucharift  during  Their  Non-Age. 

6.  St.  Austin  further  teaches,  that  Infants, 
by  Their  Baptifm^  are  made  the  Temple  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  thereby y<?^/^^,  ^ndm/iiredto 
everiafting  Salvation  ^.  How  could  This  be, 
if  Baptijm  ftill  wanted  to  be  rendred falutary  by 
the  Other  Sacrament,by  the  outward  Eucharift? 

J.  Elfe where  He  exprefHy  maintains,  that 
Spiritual  Regeneration  (by  which  He  means 
Baptifm  of  Water,  and  of  the  Spirit)  is  alone 
fufficient  to  deUver  an  Infant  from  the  Power 
cfDarknefs,  and  to  tranflate  Him  into  the  King* 
dom  of  Chrift  j  and  to  fecure  Him,  if  He  dies 
in  that  State,  againft  all  Manner  of  Pains  or 
Perils  in  a  World  to  come  ".    Could  He  con- 

fiilently 

non  pofTit  Vinculo  aliense  Iniquitatis  obftnngi,cui  nulla  ful  Volun- 

tate  confentit. Semel  percepta?n  Parvulus  Gratiam  non  amittit 

nifi  propria  Impietate,  ^f .  Epift.  XCVIII.  (alias  XXIII.)  p.263, 
264. 

"'  Dicimus  ergo,  in  haptizatis  Parvulis,  quamvis  id  nefciant, 
habitarz  Spiritnm  Sanflum,  Ep.  CLXXXVII.  C.  viii.  p.  686. 
Templum  Dei  futurus  es,  cum  Boptifinum  acccperis.  De  Fid.  & 
Op.  c  xii.  p.  175.  Tom.  VI. 

"  Tanta  eft  Dei  Miferciordia^—  Ut  etiam  prima  Hominis 
.^tas,  id  eft,  hifantia,  fi  Sacramenta  Mediatoris  acceperit,  etiamii 
hanc  in  eis  Vitam  finiat,  tranflata  fcilicet  a  Potejiate  Tenebrarum 
in  Regnum  Chrijii,  non  folum  Poenis  non  praeparetuD  aeternis,  fed 
ne  ulla  quidem  poft  Mortem  purgatoria  Tormenta  patiatur.  Suf- 
iicit  e.mm  fola  fpiritualis  Regeneratioy  ne  poft  Mortem  obfit  quod 
Carnalis  Generatio  cum  Morte  contraxit.  De  Ci'vit.  Dei,  L.  XXI. 
c,  xvi.  p,  636,  Tom.  VIII.   Conf.  De  Peccat.  Merit.  L.  I.  c.  xix. 

N.E. 


Infant- Communiohi  Sj 

liftently  fay  This,  had  He  thought  that  Both  Sa- 
craments were  as  iiecejjary^  as  Baptifm  alone  ? 

8.  Another  Pri?2ciple  of  St.  Austin's,  con- 
fonant  with  Thofe  before  mention'd,  is,  that 
Baptifm  makes  an  Infant  a  Member  of  Chriji  : 
not  merely  a  Member  of  the  outward  Churchy 
but  a  vital  or  living  Member  o^Chrift's  Body  ». 

9.  Another  noted  T)o5irine  of  St.  Austin, 
near  akin  to  the  former,  is,  that  the  Sacrament 
bf  Baptifm  amounts  to  a  compleat  Ingraffmenf^ 
or  Bicorporation  in  Chrifl,  and  that  fuch  Incor^ 
poration  or  Ingraffment  is  a  principal  "End  and 
L^f  of  Baptifm^  being  a  necefjary  QuaUfication 
for,  or  Introdudion  to  Eternal  Life :  Which 
He  collects  from  our  Lord's  Docflrine  laid  down 
in  'John  vi.^    From  all  which  we  may  reafon- 

Vol.  II.  A  a  2  ably 

.  'N.B.  Tho  He  fays  S'acramentdi  in  the  plural,  He  means  only 
Baptifm  ;  as  is  plain  by  what  follows.  It  is  very  common  with 
the  Fathers  to  exprefs  -s-fiyigie  Sacrament  in  i\iut plural'Wzy ;  a^ 
IS  well  known  to  the  Learned,  with  the  Reaforis  of  it.  Daille 
has  often  noted  it  5  and  has  manifeiled  the  fame  by  greatVariety 
of  Evidences,  in  his  Book  De  Confirmatione. 

°  Nee  <vin;'er emu's y  nifi  per  Spiritualem  Connexionem  Memhrd 
hujus  eflemus :  Ideo  Nobis  Opus  fuit  nafci,  &  renafci,  Epift. 
CLXXXVII.  p.  688.  Membrum  Chrifti  futuruses,  cumacceperis 
Baptif7}ium.  De  Fid.  &  Op.  c.  xii.  p.  $75.  Tom.  VI.  Omnes  qui 

renafcunt'df,  Membra  ipfius  iiunt. Si  vis  afcendere,  efto  inCor- 

poi-e  Chrifti :  Si  vis  afcendere,  efto  Membrum  Ghrifti,  Serm, 
CCXCIV.  p.  ii88.  Tom.  V. 

P  Nihil  agitur  aliud  cum  Parvuli  baptizantur,  nifi  ut  incorpo' 
rentur  Eccleli^e,  id  eft,  Chrifti  Co7-pori  Membrifque  focientur^ — • 
Nonne  Veritas  fine  uUa  Ambiguitate  proclamat,  non  folum  in 
Regnitm  Dei  non  baptizatos  Parvulos  intrare  non  poffe,  fed  nee 
Vitam  aternMn  poffe  habere,  praeter  Chrifti  Corpus.,  cui  ut  incor- 
porentur,  Sacramento  Baptifmatis  imbuwntur  ?  Juguftin,  De  Pes- 
cat.  Merit,  L.  III.  c.  iv.  p.  74,  75, 


§4         An  E.nquiry  concerning 

ably  draw  the  following  Inferences :   i .  Thatj 
lince  Baptifm  amounts  to  a  compleat  Incorpora- 
tion^ for  the  Time  being,  it  could  not  want  the 
Other  Sacrament  to  make  it  more  fo.   2.  That, 
fince  Baptijmal  Incorporation   is  a  Pledge  of 
eternal  Life  by  it  felf,  it  could  not  need  the 
Eucharijl  to  make  itfahitary.     3.  That,  fince 
St.  Austin  drew  This  Dodrine  chiefly  from 
yohn  vi,  He  mull  have  under  flood  the  Incor- 
poration there  fpoken  of,  as  a  Privilege  common 
to  Both  Sacraments.     But  of  That  Particular 
I  fhall  fay  more  in  its  proper  Place. 

10.  But  further,  The  fame  Father  dot^  not 
only  fuppofe  that  a  baptized  Infant  has  Part  in 
the  Body  of  Chrijl  5  but  that  He  is,  by  his  Bap- 
tifm, dipped^  as  it  were,  in  t\\&  Blood  of  Chrijl : 
For  He  teaches  that  Baptifm^  or  the  Baptifmal 
Watery  is  red  (fo  He  figuratively  expreffes  it) 
with  the  Blood  of  Chrijl,  as  confecrated  in  it, 
or  by  it^.     Other  Fathers  of  the  Church  ex- 
prefsthe  fame  Thing  in  flill  plainer  and  flronger 
Terms :  And  it  was  the  prevailing  Docftrine  of 
Antiquity ,  that  all  the  fpiritual  Graces  of  the 
Fucharifl  were  conveyed  in  Baptifm^  as  well  as 
in  the  Eucharijl ;   and  that  as  Many  as  were 
duly  baptized,  were,  in  EfFed,  thereby  made 

Partakers 

^  Signlficabat  Mare  ruhrum  Baptifmum  Chrifti.  Unde  riibet 
Baptifmus  Chrifti,  nifi  Chrilli  Sanguine  confecratus  ?  In  Joann. 
Trad.  XI.  p.  377.  Tom.  III.  Conf.  p.  942.  Tom.  V. 


Infant-Communion.  8  5 

Partakers  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Chrifl  ^" : 
Such  being  the  high  Notions  of  the  Sufficiency 
of  Baptijm,  univerfally  prevaiHng  in  thofe 
Times,  what  Room  could  there  then  be  for 
the  Dod:rine  of  the  ftridt  NeceJJity  of  Infant » 
Communion  ? 

II.  Another  DoElrine  of  St.  Austin,  is, 
that  All  Thofe,  who  are  really  Members  of 
Chrijij  true  and  livijtg  Members,  do,  ipfo  Fa5fo^ 
in  Virtue  of  fuch  their  Memberfoip^  continually 
eat  his  Flejld,  and  drink  his  Blood K  Hence  it 
follows,  that  Infants  baptized^  having  thereby 
been  made  true  and  living  Members  of  Chrifl:, 
and  having  never  yet  forfeited  Their  Privilege 
by  any  aciiial  Sin,  mufl  of  Courfe  be  fuppofed, 
in  Virtue  of  That  Their  ikf^;/z/^^r/Zji^,continually 
to  eat  Chrift'j  Flejhy  and  to  drink  his  Bloody  in 
fuch  a  Senfe  as  St.  Austin  there  fpeaks  of  j 
and  therefore  could  not  be  by  Him  fuppofed 
to  lie  under  any  NeceJJity  of  having  That  by 
A  a  3  Two 

r  The  Teftlmonies  are  co  Hefted  into  one  View  by  Albert Inus 
Do  Eucharift.  p.  448,  564.     And  by  Bingham,  XI.  10,  4.  XV. 

4>  7- 

s  Qui  ergo  eft  in  ejus  Corporis  Unitate,  id  eft,  in  Chriftianorum 

compage  Memhrorum   (cujus  Corporis  Sacr amentum  Fideles,  com- 

municantes  de  Aitari,  fumere  confueverunt)  Ipfe  vere  dicendus 

eft  mandiicare  Corpus  Chrifti,  &  bihere  Sanguinem  Chrifti.    De 

Civit.  Dei.  L.  XXI.   p.  646.     iV.  B.  St.  Auftin  allows  this  to  be 

true,  provided  fuch  Memberjhip  has  not  been  forfeited  by  fome 

•voluntary  Tranfgreffions  j  and  therefore  He  muft  be  prefumed  to 

allow  the  Faft  with  Regard  to  baptized  Infants  not  yet  capable  qf 

aStiial  Sin. 


$6         An  Enquiry  concerning 

^wo  Sacraments,  which  was  effecfbually  fup- 
plied  by  One. 

12.  I  mufl  further  take  Notice  of  Another 
Principk  of  St.  Austin's,  which  may  appear 
fomewhat  refined  and  uncommon  j  but  was  a 
favourite  Notion,  and  what  He  much  dwelt 
upon :  It  was  This;  that  Bdptifm  makes  a  Per- 
fon  to  be  that  very  Thing  which  is  myflically  re- 
prefented  and  participated  in  the  Euchariji  t.  He 
grounds  the  Notion  on  St.  Paul's  Words: 
We  being  Many  are  one  Breads  and  one  Body,  Sec. 
Therefore  Chriftians  are  Themfelves  the  Body 
fignified,  or  reprefented  by  the  Bread  of  the 
Euchariji:  Therefore  every  true  Chriftian 
makes  ^Part  of  what  That  Bread  fignifies,  and 
of  what  the  Communicants  partake  of.  Whe- 
ther the  Notion  be  ftriilly  jufl,  is  not  now  the 
Queftion :  It  was  St.  Austin's  Notion,  and 
That  is  fufFicient  for  our  prefent  Purpofe.   For, 

if 

*  Si  bene  accepiftis,  Vos  ejlls  quod  accepiflis :  Apoftolus  enim 

dicit,  unus  Panis  :miim  Corpus  Multi  fumus. \os  ante,  jejunil 

Humiliatione,  &  exorcifmi  Sacramento,  quaii  molehamini :  Ac- 
ceffit  Baptifmus,  &  Aqua  quafi  confperfi  eflis,  at  ad  Formam  Panis 

yeniretis. Accedit  Spiritus  SarMus,  poft  Aquam  Ignis,   &  ef- 

ficimini  Panis,  quod  eft  Corpus  Chrifti  Serm.  CCXXVII.  p.  973. 
Tom.  V.    Conf.  Serm.  CCXXIX.  p.  976. 

Ad  Aquam  veniftis  &  confperfi  eftis,  &  Unum  fadi  eftis :  Ac- 
cedente  Fer'uore  Spiritus  SantSi  co^i  eftis,  &  Panis  Dominicus 
fafti  eftis.  Ecce  quod  accepiftis.  Serm.  CCXXIX.  p.  976.  Conf. 
Serm.  CCLXXII.  p.  1103.  Tom.  V.  Contr.  Fauft.  L.  XII. 
c.  viii.  N.  B.  The  lofmg  this  Notion,  has  been  the  chief  Occa- 
sion of  miffing  St.  Jujiini  true  Senfe:  The  reviving  it  will  make. 
every  Thing  clear. 


Infant-Communion.  8  7 

if  Baptized  Infants,  being  of  the  Number  of 
the  Faithful^  and  fo  making  a  Tart  of  Chrift's 
Body  the  Church,  were,  in  Confequence,  a 
Part  alfo  of  the  Bodiy  Jj.g7iified  and  participated 
in  the  Eucharijiy  They  could  not  need  the  out- 
ward Eucharift  to  bind  Them  cloj'er  to  the  Body 
of  Chrift,  or  to  make  Them  Partakers  of  it. 
This  Argument  is  well  urged  by  Fulgen- 
Tius^j  to  the  very  fame  Purpofe  for  which  I 
now  urge  it  j  namely,  to  fliew  that  Baptifnty 
during  Infancy,  was  in  St.  Austin's  Account, 
equivalent  to  Both  Sacraments ;  and  in  fuch 
Cafe,  either  virtually  fupplied,  or  fully  fuper- 
feded  the  external Euchariji,  I  have  now  enu- 
merated 1 2  feveral  Articles  of  DoBrine,  All 
maintained  by  St.  Austin,  and  All  feeming  to 
contradiB  (dire(5tly  or  indirecftly)  the  fuppofed 
Necejjity  of  Infant -Communion,  Wherefore,  it 
appears  not  reafonable  to  conceive,  that  He 
really  efpoufed  any  fuch  Necejjity^  in  Contra- 
diBion  to  his  owfi  Jia?idif2g  Principles :  Much 
lefs  probable  is  it,  that  He  fliould  go  on  in  it, 
Time  after  Time,  for  near  20  Years  together, 
never  fufpe(fling  any  I?2CO?i/ifle?2cy  in  it  (fo  far  as 
appears)  never  charged  by  his  Adverfaries,  the 
Pelagians y  with  it.  Such  is  our  Argument  a 
priori y  that  St.  Austin  ^o^^/^^zi?/' teach,  could 
A  3.  j^  not 

«  fulgent,  ad  Ferrand.  p.  226., 


88  An  'Enquiry  concernmg 

not  intenil  to  teach  the  ftrid:  Neceffity  of  Infant-. 
Communion  :  He  could  not  do  it  with'any  Senfe 
or  Cmjijiency  j  becaufe  He  conjlantly  maintainedy 
many  Ways,  the  compleat  Siifficiency  of  Bap- 
tifni  to  the  Salvation  of  all  Infants^  during  fuch 
their  Infant- State. 

Secondly —  But,  be  fides  what  has  been  thus 
urged  a  priori^  to  fhew  that  He  coidd  not  teach 
fuch  Neceffity ;  there  are  yet  other  Confidera- 
tions  a  pofieriori^  to  be  taken  in,  which  may 
perfuade  us  that  He  did  not. 

I .  He  did  not  ordinarily  interpret  'John  vi^^ 
of  the  outward  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharift,  but 
of  the  inward  Grace  iignified  by  it,  or  exhibited 
in  it.  There  is  this  very  obfervable  Difference 
between  John  iii.  5.  and  John  vi.  i.^.  that  the 
former  Text  teaches  the  Neceffity  both  of  the 
outward  Sacrament,  and  of  the  inward  Grace ; 
while  the  latter  teaches  only  the  Neceffity  of 
the  inward  Grace,  abftradled  from  the  outward 
Signs.  Had  the  Eucharif  been  as  plainly 
pointed  out  in  John  the  vi^^,  as  Baptifm  is  in 
John  the  iii^.  Both  muft  have  been  allowed  to 
be  equally  neceffary  :  But  it  is  worth  obferving, 
that  the  former  teaches  the  Neceffity  of  fpiri- 
tual  Regeneration  and  Incorporation,  as  con- 
fined  to  one  particular  Form,  ox  outwardlw^xW'- 
ment  5  the  latter  teaches  the  fame  NeceJJity  of 
I  fpiritual 


Infant-Communion.  8  9 

fpiritual  Incorporation,  at  large ^  not  mention- 
ing any  particular  Form,  not  reftraining  the 
Privilege  or  Benefit  to  the  Euchariji  only. 

St.  Austin  feems  to  have  been  well  av\^are 
of  This  Diftindlion,  by  His  fo  frequently  in- 
terpreting John  vi,  not  diredly  of  the  outward 
Eucharift,  but  of  the  inward  Graces  only,  fig- 
nified  by  it.  Sometimes  He  interprets  the 
Feeding,  there  mention'd,  to  mean  only  The 
partaking  of  the  Body  of  Chrift,  or  of  being  /;z- 
corporated'm  Chvi^i'^'^ :  Sometimes,  He  makes 
it  the  fame  with  abiding,  or  dwelBig  in  Chrift  x, 
or  with  being  Members  of  Chrift  y,  or  with 
being  the  Temple  of  Chrift  ^ :  All  which  Pri- 
vileges  He  look'd  upon  as  coinmon  to  Both  Sa- 
craments, and  not  confined  to  the  Euchariji 

only  J 

^  Nijl  manducaverint  Homines  Carnem  ejus  :  Hoc  eft,  Partici' 
pes  fadli  fuerint C«-/>om  ejus.  De  Peccat.  Merit.  L.  III.  civ.  Vis 

ergo  vivere  de  Spiritu  Chrifti  ?  In  Corpore  efto  Chrifti. Acce- 

dat,  credat,  incorporetur,  ut^vivificetur.  In  Joann.  Tra6l.  XXVI. 
p.  499.  Tom.  III.    Conf,  De  Civit.  Dei   L.  XXI.  c.  xxv.  p.  646. 

^  Manducare  illam  Efcam,  &  ilium  bibere  Potum,  eft  in  Chrifto 
manere,  8c  Ilium  manentem  in  Se  habere.  In  Johann.  Traft.  II. 
501.    Conf.  504. 

Re  vera  Chrifti  Corpus  manducare,  &  ejus  Sanguinem  bibere  ; 
hoc  eft,  zM  Chrijio  manere,  at  in  lUo  maneat  &  Chriftus.  De 
Cimt.  Dei.  L.  XXI.  c.  xxv.  p. 647. 

y  Ut  fimus  in  ejus  Corpore,  fub  ipfo  Capite  in  Membris.  In 
Johan.  Tradl.  XXVII.  p.  502.  Manemus  autem  in  Illo,  cum 
fumus  Membra  ejus,  p.  504.  Nee  Ifti  ergo  dicendi  funt  mandu- 
care Corpus  Chrifti,  quoniam  nee  in  Membris  computandi  iunt 
Chrifti.    De  Ci'vit.  Dei,   L.  XXI.  c.  xxv.  p.  646. 

^  Manet  autem  Ipfe  in  Nobis,  cum  fumus  Templum  ejus.  In 
Johan.  Tradl.  XXVII.  p.  504.  Signum  quia  manducat  &  bibit. 
Hoc  eft,  fi  manet  &  manetur,  Ix  habitat  $c  inhabiHtur ,  ib.  502, 


90  An  Enquiry  concerning 

only  J  as  may  fufficiently  appear  from  what  I 
have  before  noted  in  Relation  to  the  Sufficiency 
of  Baptijm,  as  taught  by  the  fame  Father. 
Therefore,  by  His  Accounts,  Infants  muft  have 
been  fuppofed  to  enjoy, in  and  by  Virtue  of  Their 
Baptijm,  all  that  John  the  vi''*  diredly  fpeaks 
of  as  neceffary  to  Life  ;  and  therefore  This  Fa- 
ther did  not  fo  interpret  that  Chapter  as  to  make 
it  favour  the  fuppofed  Necejfity  of  InfanUCom^ 
munion. 

Sometimes  He  interprets  The  Meat  men- 
tion'd  in  St.  John,  of  an  Alliance^  or  Union  with 
Chrifta^  and  fometimesof  the  Grace  fent  from 
above  ''j  which,  by  His  Accounts,  is  common  to 
Baptifm  with  the  Eucharift :  And  therefore 
again,  baptized  Infants,  as  fuch,  muft  have 
been  by  Him  fuppofed  to  feed  fpiritually  upon 
Chrift,  in  fuch  a  Senfe  as  our  Lord  there  fpeaks 
of,  and  could  not  want  the  outward  Eucharift 
to  make  Them  Partakers  of  the  fpiritual  Ban- 
quet: Wherefore  St.  Austin  fcruples  not  to 
fay,  thatv/hile  a  Perfon  is  regenerated^  or  bojm 
again  (meaning  in  Baptifm)  He  feeds  upon 
Chrift,  isfeajied,  is  fatiated^  with  that  Hea- 
venly Food  :  Such  plainly  is  His  Meaning. 

2.  To 

^  Hunc  Cibum  &  Potum  Socletafem  vult  intelligi  Corporis  & 
Membrorum  fuorum.  Injohan.  Tradt.  XXVII.  p  502. 

^  Nemo  autem  irtiplet  Legem,  niH  quam  adjuverit  Gratia ; 
id  eftjPanis  qui  de  Coslo  defcendit.   In  Johan.  Tradl.XX VI.  p.494. 

"=  Qui  credit,  OTflw^aca/ ;  invifibiliter  y2zj-/7/<2/«r,  quia  invifibili- 
ter  renafcitur :  Infans  natus  eft  nevus  intus  eft.  Ubi  novellatur,  ibi 
Jatiatur,    In  Johan.  Trad.  XXVI.  p.  494. 


Infant-Communion.  9 1 

2.  To  confirm  This  farther,  it  may  be  noted, 
that  St.  Austin  makes  xhQ putting  on  of  Chriji 
(which  is  done  in  Baptijm)  to  be  tantamount 
in  Senfe,  and  equivalent  in  Virtue  or  Efficacy 
for  the  obtaining  eteimal  Life,  with  ^h^  feeding 
upon  Him  ^:  Indeed,  all  that  He  meant  to 
prove  againfl  the  Pelagians^  by  quoting  Johnvi^ 
was  only  This  3  that  Infants  muft  have  Chriji, 
muft  have  Part  in  Chriji^  in  Order  to  eternal 
Life  ;  and  could  not  h^Javed,  could  not  have 
Lifey  in  or  by  their  natural ,  unregenerate  Stated, 
as  the  Pelagians  pretended.  He  had  no  Occa- 
iion  to  fay,  or  to  conceive,  baptized  Infants 
could  not  be  faved  without  the  Eiicharifl ; 
neither  does  He  once  fay  it :  But  What  He  was 
concerned  to  prove,  was,that  imbaptized\vS.2SiXs,y 

ordinarily. 


<1  Non  autem  habere  Parvulos  Vitam,  nifi  habeant  Chrijlum, 
quern  procul  dubio  habere  non  poflunt,  nifi  induerint  Eum  eo 
modo  quo  Scriptuin  eft  ;  ^otquot  hi  Chrifio  bapti%ati  efiis,  Chrif- 
tum  induiftis  :  Non  ergo  habere  Vitam,  nifi  habeant  Chrijium,  Jo- 
hannes Evangelifta  teftatur  dicens,  ^i  habet  Filium,  habet  Vi- 
tam :  ^i  non  habet  Filium  Fitarn  non  habet.  Contr.  Julian  L.VI. 
c.  xxvii-  p.  677. 

*  Quid  enim  apertius  tot  tantifque  Teftimoniis  Divinorum  EIo- 
quiorum,  quibus  dilucidiflime  apparet,  nee  p-a:ter  Chrijii  Societa- 
tefn  ad  Vitam  Salutemque  seternam  pofle  quemquam  Hominem 

pervenire. Nonne  Veritas  fine  ulla  Ambiguitate  proclamat, 

non  folum  in  Regnum  Dei,  non  bapti%atos  Parvulos  intrare  non 
pofle,  fed  nee  Vitam  aternam  poffe  habere  prjeter  Chrijii  Corpus^ 
cui  ut  incorporentur,  Sacramento  Baptifmatis  imbuuntur.  De 
feccat.  Merit.  L.  III.  c.  iv.  p.  74,  75. 


92  An  Enquiry  C07Kerntng 

ordinarily,  could  not  come  at  Life  eternaU  : 
And  He  proves  it  by  this  Medium  -,  that  In- 
fants could  have  no  Life  without  partaking  of 
Chrift,  v/hom  They  could  not  partake  of  with- 
out being  incorporate  in  Chrift,  and  That  by 
Baptifm.  That  fuch  Incorporation y  once  made 
in  Baptifm,  wants  to  be  compleated,  improved^ 
or  renewed,  by  the  Eiicharifl  during  Infancy, 
He  no  where  teaches :  But  in  a  Multitude  of 
Places  (as  hath  been  fhewn)  He  either  direftly 
or  indirecftly  teaches,  that,  during  the  State  of 
mere  Infancy,  it  does  not :  Becaufe  Baptifm  alone, 
for  the  Time  being,  is  ftifficient  to  all  Intents 
and  Purpofes,  and  is,  in  effeft,  feeding  upon 
the  Body  and  Blood  of  Chrift. 

3.  To  confirm  this  ftiil  farther.  We  may  note, 
that  St.  Austin  entertained  fohigh  an  Opini- 
on of  the  Virtue  and  Efficacy  of  Baptifm  to  SaU 
'uation,  from  the  Beginning  to  the  End  of  the 
fpiritual Life  ;  that  He  look'd  upon  all  other  r^- 
ligiGUs  Offices  as  deriving,  in  a  great  Meafure, 
their  Ufe  and  Force  from  it.  He  fuppofes  not 
only  the  firfi  Remiifion   at  the  Font,  but  all 

Remiffion 

^  Hoc  Teilimonium  adhlbltura  eft  Evangelicum,  ne  Parvuli 
non-baptizati  vitam  polle  habere  credantur.  Epijl.  ad  Paulin. 
186.  N°  28.  p.  673. 

Si  autem  cedunt  Domino  Apoftolorum,  qui  dicit  non  habituros 
Vitojn  in  femetipfis,  nifi  manducaverint  Carnem  Filii  Hominis 
&  hiherint  Sanguincm  (quod  nifi  baptizati  non  uticfue  poffunt) 
nempe  aliquan^io  i'atebuntur  Parvulos  nQn-bapti%atosN'\izxii  habere 
non  pofle.   Ibid  JS'^  2^J.  p.  673. 


Infant- Communion.  93 

Remiflion  upon  Prayer  or Repe?2tance  afterwards, 
to  look  back  to  Baptifm,  and  to  ftand  in  it,  or 
to  be  as  Nothing  without  it  ^.  Even  Fjucbarij- 
tical  Remiflion,  and  Eucharijiical  Graces,  by 
the  fame  Principle,  can  be  only  Baptijmal  Re- 
miflion and  Baptijmal  Graces  continued,  or 
reiterated.  He  calls  the  Lord's  Prayer  a  quo- 
tidian  Baptifm  h,  while  He  confidered  it  as  an 
Inftrument  of  Pardon,  and  as  offered  up  in 
and  with  the  Kucharifi  '"■ ;  which  amounts  to 
calling  the  Eucharift  it  felf  a  kind  of  quotidian 
Baptifm.  Now,  if  St.  Austin  believed,  that 
Baptifm  had  its  federal  EffeB  during  the  whole 
fpiritual  Life,  and  that  it  operated  in  all  otloer 
religious  Offices^  or  Services,  deriving,  as  it 
were,  its  owji  Virtue  and  Efficacy  upon  them ; 
it  is  obvious  to  conceive  how,  in  His  Account, 

an 

g  Auguftin.  De  Nupt.  &  Concupifc.  L.  I.  p.  298. 

Hejychius  well  exprelTes  his  Senfe  in  few  Words  :  Virtus  pr^- 
cedentis  Baptifmatis  operatur  &  i?i  ea  qu^e  pojiea  ad  a  fuerit  Pce- 
nitentia.  In  Levit.  L.  II.  p.  ii8.  Compare  my  Review,  i^c. 
p.  329. 

^  Remiffio  Peccatorum  non  eft  in  fola  Ablutione  facri  Baptifm- 
atis, fed  etiam  in  Oratione  Dommica  quotidiana. In  ilia  in- 

venietis  quafi  quotidiaftum  Baptifmum  veftrum.  Serm .  CCXIII. 
c.  viii.  Conf  De  Fid.  i^  Op.  c.  xxvi.  p.  191.  Enchirid.  c.  Lxxi. 
p.  223.     De  Symbol,  ad  Catech.  c.  vii.  p.  5:5.  Tom.  VI. 

*  Conftituit  Deus  in  Ecclefia,  Tempore,  Mifericordia;  proro- 
gands,  ^otldianam  Medicmam,  ut  dicamus  dimitte  nobis  dcbita 
noftra,  &:c.  ut  his  Verbis  lota  facie,  ad  Alt  are  accedamus,  &  his 
Verbis  lota  facie,  Corpore  Chrifti  &  Sanguine  communicamus. 
Serm.  De  Scriptur.  p.  96.  Tom.  VI.  Conf  p.  X6q.  Eucharift 
.  called  quotidi.uia  Madicina.  Epift.  LIV.  (alias  CXVIII)  p.  125. 


54  -^  Enquiry  concerning 

an  Infant  already  baptized,  and  having  hitherto 
done  Nothing  to  forfeit  the  Graces  or  Benefits 
of  it,  might  be  jullly  faid  to  partake  even  of 
the  Lord's  TCable^  as  partaking  of  That  Sacra- 
ment, which  virtually  carried  in  it  all  the  Life 
and  Spirit  of  the  Other  5  and  which  was  origin- 
ally,  primarily,  eminently^  All  that  the  Other  is 
in  2ifecondaryy^2^j ,  or  in  Confequence  of  Baptifm. 
4.  I  jQiall  only  add  farther  (to  iliew  that 
St.  Austin  had  no  Notion  of  anv  fuch  ftriA 
Necejjity  of  the  Eucharifl  to  All  Perfons  bapti- 
sed, as  He  had  of  the  Neceffity  of  Baptifm  to 
the  TJnbaptized)  that,  when  a  Cafe  was  put  to 
Him,  concerning  the  Salvation  of  the  Thief 
upon  the  Crofs  k,  as  dying  unbaptized.  He  ap- 
peared to  be  very  much  perplexed  with  itj 
and  not  willing  to  admit  the  Fa<fl ;  conceiving 
that,  probably,  the  Thief  had  received  Bap- 
tifm, or  however  that  the  negative  could  not 
be  proved.  He  efteem'd  that  Solution  to  be 
the  fafeft,  to  evade  the  whole  Difficulty.  All 
the  while,  tho'  He  was  well  aware,  or  might 
certainly  know,  that  the  fame  T^hief  died 
without  ever  receiving  the  Holy  Communion ; 
yet  He  was  in  no  Pain  about  it,  fo  far  as  ap« 
pears,  nor  look'd  upon  it,  as  any  Difficulty  at 

alls 

^  Auguftin.  dc  Orig.  Anima?,  Lib,  I,  c  ix.  p.  343.    Lib.IIIo 
C.  ix.  p.  379. 


Infant-Communion.  9  5 

all  :  A  plain  Sign,  that  He  had  no  fuch  Opi- 
nion of  the  ftrid:  Neceffity  of  the  Eiicharijl  to 
Salvation,  as  He  had  of  the  NeceJJtiy  of  Bap- 
tifm. 

Having  thus  endeavoured  to  fliew,  many- 
Ways,  that  St.  Austin  confiftently  could  not^ 
yea  and  that  He  did  not  teach  the  Neceffity  of 
Infant-Com??iunion  y  what  hinders  that  We  may 
not  now  fafely  and  juftly  rejedl  the  contrary 
Suppofition,  as  a  vulgar  Errour^  or  as  an  inju^ 
rious  Charge  upon  a  very  great  and  good  Man, 
One  of  the  ablefl  Divines  of  his  Time  ?  It 
will  be  pleaded,  notwithftanding,  that  the 
fame  Father  has,  in  feveral  Places  of  his  Works, 
laid  dov/n  this  Principle  ;  that  Infants,  with- 
out Baptifm,  and  without  partaking  of  the 
Lord's  Body  and  Blood"^,  or  without  partaking 
of  the  Lord's  T^able  n^,  cannot  enter  into  Life  • 

And 

*  Beatae  Memoriae  Innocent ius  Papa,  fine  Baptifmo  Chrifti,  & 
line  Participatione  Corporis  I5'  Sanguinis  Chrifii  vitam  non  ha- 
bere Parvulos,  dixit.  Aiiguflin.  ad  Bonifac.  contr.  2  Epift.  Pelag. 
L.  II.  c.  iv.  p.  436.  Tom.  X. 

Si  ergo,  ut  tot  &  tanta  Teftimonia  concinunt,  nee  Salus,  nee 
Vita  asterna  line  Baptifmo,  &  Corpore  &  Sanguine  Domini  cui- 
quam  iperanda  eft,  fruftra  fine  his  promittitur  Parvulis.  De  Pec- 
cator.  Merit.  L.  I.  c.  xxiv.  p.  20. 

Nullus  qui  fe  meminit  Catholicse  Fidei  Chriftianum,  negat  aut 
dubitat,  Parvulos  non  accepta  Gratia  Regenerationis  in  Chrilto, 
fme  Cibo  Carnis  ejus  &  Sanguitiis  PotUy  non  habere  in  fe  Vitam, 
AdPaulin.  Epift.  186.  (alias  io6.)  p.  673. 

"^  Ecclefise  Chrifti  infitum  tenent  praeter  Baptifmum  &  Parti- 
cipationem  Menftg  Dominicts,  non  folum  ad  Regnum  Dei,  fed  nec 
ad  Salutem  &  Vitam  ^ternam  poffe  ^em^uam  Hominejn  perve- 

2  nire. 


96  Alt  "Enquiry  concerning 

And  further.  He  has  fometimes  interpreted  ^ 
as  it  feems,  'John  vi.  53.  diredly  of  the  Lord's 
Table  ".     But,  is  it  any  where  expreffly  or  di* 
recflly  faid,  that  baptized  Infants  cannot  have 
hife  without  the  Euchariji?  No :  not  once,  in 
all  This  Father's  Writings.     And  yet,  if  That 
were  really  his  Meaning,  it  is  very  llrange  and 
unaccountable  that  He  fliould  never  once  de- 
clare  it   in  plain  or  broad  Terms.    Why  did 
He  never  argue  againft  the  Pelagians  (as  the 
Objection  fuppofes  He  Ihould)  in   fome  fuch 
Form  as  This,  viz.  That  it  is  fo  far  from  being 
true,  that  unbaptized  Infants  can  have  Life  5 
that  even  Infants  baptized  can  have  noLife  with^ 
out  the  Euchariji  over  and  above  Their  Baptijm  f 
This  would  have  been  arguing  a  Fortiori,  and 
in  a  very  clear  and  afFedting   Way ;   fuch  as 
could  not  have  efcaped  fo  acute  a  Wit,  had 
That  been  really  His  Meaning,  or  fuch  His  Prin- 
ciple :  But  He  has  ?2ever  done  it;  which  alone 

is 

nire.  De  Peccator.  Merit.  L.  I.  c.  xxiv.  p.  19.  Infantes  funt,  fed 
Men/a  ejus  pat-ticipes  fTunt,ut  habeant  in  feVitam,  -Sfrw.CLXXIV. 
p.  834.  Tom.  V.     But  compare  p.  973  • 

Cur  mmijlratur  Sanguis  (qui  de  fimilitudine  Peccati  in  Remif- 
fionem  fulus  ell  Peccatorum )  quern  bibat  parnjiilus  ut  habere 
poffit  Vitam,  fi  de  nullius  Peccati  Origine  venit  in  Mortem.  Opus 
imperfeS.  contr.  "Julian.  L.  II.  c.  xxx.  p.  967. 

"  Dominum  audiamus,  inquam,  non  quidem  Hoc  de  Sacra- 
mento la'vacri  dicentem,  fed  de  Sacramento  Men  fee  fu(S,  quo 
Nemo  rite  nifi  baptizatus  accedit :  Niji  manduca^jeritis,  &c.  non 
babebiiis  Vitam  in  Fobis.  Quid  ultra  quaerimus  ?  De  Feccator< 
Merit.  L.  I.  C.  XX.  p.  15. 


Infant-Communion,  9  7 

is  a  good  prefumptive  Argument,  that  He 
never  meant  it.  But  in  Order  to  give  a  juft  So- 
lution of  the  objecfled  Difficuhies  arifingfrom 
fome  few  PalTages,  feemingly  repugnant  to  the 
whole  Tenour  of  His  fianding  DoSirines ;  We 
ought  to  attend  carefully  to  His  other  moft 
avowed  Tenets,  and  to  His  cuftomary  Train  of 
Ideas.  Infants  cannot  be  faved  without  Bap- 
tifm,  and  without  partaking  of  the  Body  and 
Blood oi  Chrift.  Right :  They  cannot  be  faved 
without  the  outward  wafhing,  and  the  inward 
Grace  fuperadded  :  They  cannot  be  faved 
without  Baptifm,  and  what  Baptifm  conftantly 
carries  with  it  °,  where  no  Bar  or  Obftacle  in- 
terferes ;  as  there  is  none  in  that  cafe.  But 
what  is  it  which  Baptifm  carries  with  it  f  St, 
AusT  IN  has  before  told  us :  Infants  are  thereby 
cleanfed  from  all  Defilement,  purged  from  all 
Sin,  for  the  Time  being  :  They  are  become 
regenerate  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  of  the  Num- 
ber of  the  Faithful,  are  the  Children  of  God, 
Vol.  II.  Bb  have 

°  Chryfo/lom's  Account  of  Baptifm,  comprized  in  a  beautiful 
Climax,  may  be  worth  the  Inferting,  to  be  compared  with  St. 

"  You  are  herein  made  not  only  Free  but  Holy  ;  not  only  Ho- 
"  ly,  but  juji  likewife  ;  not  barely  juft,  but  Children  alfo  ;  not 
"  Children  only,  but  Heirs  ;  nor  merely  Heirs,  but  Brethren 
"  of  Chrift  ;  nor  Brethren  oiily,  but  Co-heirs ;  nor  Co-heirs  on- 
*•  ly,  but  Members  alfo  ;  nor  Members  only,  but  his  Temple  ;  nor 
"  Temple  only,  but  Organs  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  Chryfoji.  Ho- 
mil  ad  Neophyt. 

Vid,  If  all.  Inf.  B.  Part  I.  c.  xiv.  §.3 


98         An  Enquiry  concerning 

have  Vart  in  Chrifl,  and  His  Pajjion^  and  the 
Jahitary  Influences  of  it ;  are  the  Temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghofl:,  and  of  Chrift,  are  Members  of 
Chrifl's  Bod)\  are  incorporate  with  Him,  abiding 
m  Him,  inhabited  by  Him  :  They  have  put  on 
Chrift,  have  been  dipfd  in  His  Bloody  feajied 
ixnd  fatiated  with  it  j  yea,  They  are  Partakers 
of  His  Bod)\  and  are  The-mfehes  a  Part  of  what 
is  fignijied^  and  of  what  is  participated  in  the 
Euchariji.  What  can  They  want  more,  du- 
ring Their  Infant-State,  to  make  Them  Par- 
fakers  of  Chrift's  Body  ^nd- Blood,  or  Partakers 
of  the  Lord's  Table  ?  It  may  be  faid  perhaps^ 
They  are  not  adftially,  not  literally.  Communi- 
cants :  They  have  not  eaten  the  euchariflical 
Bread,  nor  drank  the  confecrated  Wine :  Very 
true  :  But  yet  They  are  Partakers  of  the  Spi^ 
ritual  Feajl,  and  have  a  Part  in  the  myjiical 
Banquet ;  and  therefore  are,  in  Effe^,  and  in 
juft  Conjlru5iion  of  Gofpel-Law,  Companions  at 
the  Lord's  Table.  They  are  Fideles,  that  is^ 
Communicants,  in  juft  Account  (being  neither 
Catechumens,  nor  Penitents)  and  therefore  wV- 
tiially,  or  interpr-etatively ,  Partalcers  of  the  Al- 
tar P.     They  have  all  their  Chriftian  Privileges 

entire, 

P  Tya'ille  Himfelf  allows  that  the  Ancients,  in  fome  Cafes, 
conceived  a  'virtual  Confirmation,  to  amount  to  the  fame  with 
fiSliial.  By  Parity  of  Reafon,  a  njirtunl  Communion  mull  have 
been  look'd  upon  as  tantamount  to  real.    His  Words  r/e, 


Ihfant-Commtinion,  59 

etitirCj  have  never  forfeited  any  of  them.  If 
indeed,  They  had  any  new  Sins  to  anfvv^er  for  ; 
or  if  They  had  abfented  from  the  Communion 
through  any  Contempt^  or  wilful NeglcB ;  They 
might  then  be  thought  to  have  impaired  Thtit 
iirft  PrivilegeSj  or  in  fome  Degree  to  have  re^ 
nounced  them  :  But  fuch  is  not  Their  Cafe* 
Baptifm  made  Them  Cofj2menfales  at  once,  as 
AdmiJJion  into  2.  Corporation  makes  a  Manyr^<? 
of  that  Corporation  j  and  of  all  xhz^Franchifes 
of  it,  'till  forfeited  by  culpable  Negled:.  There* 
fore  baptized  Infants,  during  Their  Minority^ 
are  Communicants  in  Right ^  as  true  Oorifiians^ 
Vol.  II.  B  b  2  and 

juftt  auterti,  eodenique  Senfu  SanSli,  item  Fideles  apnd  Vete- 
res  dicebantur  Chriftiani,  qui  otnni  Ecclefije  commumons  frueban- 
tur,  adeoque,  quod  fummum  erat,  EuchariftiEe  Participes  ad  Men- 
fam  Domini  accumbebant  :  Qui  partim  Catechumenis,  partim 
Pcenitentibus  opponebantur,  ex  quibus  jus  ifiius  communhnis  lUi 
quidem  nondum  erant  adepti.  Hi  vero  crimipe  uio  amifcrant.-— 

. Apparet  Patres  (Eliherifanbs)  Eum  qui  in  Fide  qua 

vinftus  erat,  fed  Jtne  Manus  hnpofitlone  decefferat,  eodstn  Nurnero 
ac  Nomine  cen/eri  quo  fuiflet  fi  Vivus  Manus  Impofitionem  acce- 
piflet.  Dallaus  de  Confirmat.  p.162.  Conf.  De  Cult.Relig.  p. 267. 

He  had  faid  before  : 

Non  invitus  concefferim  Eliberitani  Concilii  Temporibus  &■ 
tequentibus  obtinuifie,  ut  nifi  Qui  Manus  Impofitionem  accepif- 
fent,  NuUi  ad  £z/fi><2r//?/^;»  admitterentur.  P.  161. 

Thefe  Things  laid  together,  it  appears  by  the  Confeffion  even 
of  Daille  Himfelf,  that  thofe  Ancient  Fathers  underftood  Infants 
Baptized  to  be  in  Church-Account  Jufii,  Bancli,  Fideles,  or  in 
one  Word  Communicants,  tho'  They  lived  not  to  partake  either 
of  the  Eucharijl,  or  the  Chrifm.  There  were  but  three  Orders 
in  all ;  Communicants,  Catechutnens^  Penitents  :  Now  it  is  plain 
that  Infants  baptized  were  neither  Catechumens,  nor  Penitents ; 
therefore  They  muft  have  been  Communicants  in  Church -Account : 
ftot  literally^  but  •virtually,  or  interprctatively  fuch. 


loo        A71  Enquiry  concerning 

and  as  Denizens  of  the  City  of  God-,  and  They 
are  ahb  Communicants  in  EffeSf,  and  in  real 
Enjoyment,  as  really  partaking  of  the  Chrijlian 
Banquet. 

It  may  ftill  be  objedled,  that  St.  Austin 
has  never  explained  His  Meaning  in  the  Way 
which  I  have  here  done.  I  allow  that  He  has 
not  diredly  done  it  :  But  He  has,  here  and 
there,  dropp'd  Intimations  more  than  fufficient 
to  enable  Us  to  do  it  for  Him,  and  to  warrant 
Us  in  the  doing  it.  He  had  no  Occafion  Him- 
felf  to  clear  up  the  Difficulty  in  fuch  a  Way, 
fince  no  One  had  objeded  it  to  Him.  Pro- 
bably it  was  no  Difficulty  at  all  in  thofe 
Days,  while  the  ^^zaVw/' Principles  of  the  Church 
were  better  underftood,  than  they  have  been 
in  later  Times.  However,  it  is  allowable  to 
make  Ufe  of  any  reafonable  Suppofition,  by 
which  fo  eminent  an  Author  may  turn  out 
corjijlejit  with  Himfelf,  and  may  ftand  clear  of 
the  invidious  Charge  of  Self-CoJitradidiion  in  a 
momentous  Article.  It  is  no  more  than  do- 
ing Juflice  to  His  great  and  admired  Name, 
and  to  the  Church  of  God  in  His  Time,  as 
well  as  to  an  important  Do6lrine  of  practical 
Chriftianity. 

I  had  almoft  forgot  to  take  Notice,  how, 
and  why  St.  Austin  was  led  to  make  Ufe  of 

Jobt 


Infant-Communion.  i  o  i 

^ohn  the  vi^^.  53.  (which  He  fuppofed  to 
concern  chiefly  the  Sacrament  of  the  Rucharifi) 
in  Order  to  prove  the  NeceJJity  of  Baptifm  to 
Life  eternaL  He  would  have  had  no  Occafion 
for  that  Text  at  all,  had  it  not  been  for  the  refi- 
ned Subtilties  of  the  Felagians  in  evading  other 
Texts.  yA  iii.  5.  was  exprefs,  that  without 
Baptifm  no  One  could  enter  into  the  Kingdom 
of  God;  and  That  might  have  fufficed  with 
fair  or  reafonable  Difputants  :  But  the  Fela- 
gians  eluded  it,  by  contriving  an  odd  Diflinc- 
tion  between  God's  Kingdom ^  and  Life  etei-nal; 
pretending  that  unbaptized  Infants,  tho'  They 
could  not  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God,  pro- 
perly fo  called,  yet  might  however  be  admit- 
ted to  a  State  of  Life  and  Blifs  in  a  World  to 
comeq.  Now,  St.  Austin,  obferving  fuch 
Their  perverfe  Subtilty,  had  Recourfe  to  yohn 
vi.  53.  in  order  to  defeat  and  fruftrate  it.  For 
there,  when  our  Lord  again  fpeaks  of  an  In- 
corporation in  Chrift,  as  renewed  in  the  Kucha- 
B  b  3  r^, 

^  Habent  quo  confugiant,  atque  ubi  delitefcant,  quia  non  ait 
Dominus,  Si  quis  non  renatus  fuerit  ex  Aqua  &  Spiritu,  non  ha- 
bebit  Vitam,  Sed,  ait,  non  intrabit  in  Regfium  Dei  :  Nam  fi  illud 
dixiflet,  nuUa  hinc  Dubitatio  poffit  oboriri.     Auferatur  ergo  Du- 

bitatio Dominum  audiamus,  inquam,  non  quidem  Hoc 

de  Sacramento  Lavacri  dicentem,  fed  de  Sacramento  Men/>e  J'u/s 
quo  Nemo  rite  nifi  Baptizatus  accedit  :  Kijt  mandiicaveritis^  Sec, 
Juguftin.  de  Peccat.  Merit.  L.  I.  c.  xx.  p.  15.  Conf.  Serm, 
CCt.QlV.  p.  U83.  Tom.  V.  De  Origin.  Animaej  L,  III,  c.  xiiu 
p  382.  Tom,  X. 


10  2        An  Enquiry  concerning 

rift^  the  Style  runs,   that  without  That  you 
have  ?to  Life  i?i  you  :  Therefore  it  is  plain,  that 
any  Perfon  v/ho  has  ?20  Part  in  Chriji^  who 
has  Nothing  but  His  natural  State  to  truft  to, 
is  not  only  fl'^ut  out  from  the  Kingdom  of  God, 
but  alfo  from  eternal  Life,     Neither  could  it 
be  of  Moment  to  urge,  that  what  our  Lord 
has  here  faid  in  John  vi.  related  more  imme- 
diately to  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharift,  than 
to  the  other  Sacrament  of  Baptifm^  upon  which 
the  Debate  turn'd  :  For,  the  Eucharifical  In- 
corporation depends  entirely  upon  the  Bapttfmal 
one  ;  owes  all  its  Force  and  Virtue  to  it,  and 
is  but  the  fa^ne  Thing  renewed  (and  re?iewed 
it  cannot  be,  if  it  never  commenced)  :  There- 
fore Baptifm,    the  initiating  Sacrament,    the 
Foundation  of  our  Union  with  Chrift,  and  the 
very  Soul  and  Spirit  of  All  the  Graces  of  the 
Eucharift,  muft  be.  neceJJ'ary  to  Life ;  which 
was  the  Thing  to  be  proved.     Such  appears 
to  be  the  Turn  and  Procefs  of  St.  Austin's 
Keafoning  on  this  Head ''  ;   And  being  fo  un- 

derflood, 

*  Dilucldiffinie  apparet  nee  prater  Chrtjii  Socktatem  ad  Vltam 

Salutemque  sternam  poffe  quemquam  Hominum  pervenire  ■ 

Ivlihil  agitur  aliud,  cum  Parvuli  baptizantur,  nifi  ut  tncorporentur 
Ecclefire,  id  eft,  Chrifti  Corpori  Membrifque  focientur  —  nunquid 

&  illud  arpbiguum  ell,  nifi  qids  renatus  fuerit,  &c. nunquid 

&  illud,  quia  taji  7nanduca<vert7it  Homines  Carnem  ejus.  Hoc  eft, 
Partlcipes  fadi  fuerint  Corporis  ejus,  non  habebunt  Vitam  ?  His 

atqu?  ejufmodi  alijs,  qu?e  nunc  preetereO;,  Teltimoniis,-- » 

nonnq 


Infant-Communion.  103 

derftood,  it  proves  what  He  intended  to  prove, 
and  no  more.  It  proves  the  Neceffity  of 
Baptijm  to  Life ;  becaufe  the  Incorporation  iu 
Chrift,  upon  which  hife  depends,  cannot  fo 
much  as  commence  without  it.  It  does  not 
prove  the  hke  Neceffity  of  the  Eiichariji  -,  be- 
caufe the  Incorporation  required  fubfifls  before 
it,  and  without  it,  and,  while  not  impaired, 
does  not  want  to  be  renewed^  or  refrejh'd  by  it ; 
Befides,  that  while  a  Perfon,  by  Virtue  of  One 
Sacrament,  is  as  compleatly  Parrtaker  of  Chrifi 
and  the  Holy  Spirit ^  as  He  could  be,  in  His 
Circumftances,  by  Both ;  He  is  fuppofed,  in 
true  and  juft  Conftrudion,  to  have  Both  Sa- 
craments in  One. 

To  be  fhort,  St.  Austin  did  not  cite  yohn, 
vi.  in  Order  to  prove  that  Infants  muft  lite- 
rally  partake  of  the  Eucharift ;  but  to  prove 
that  They  muft  really  have  that  Incorporation 
which  is  common  to  Both  Sacraments,  and 
which,  w:hen  once  given  in  Baptifm,  and  not 
B  b  4  impaired 

nonne  Veritas  fine  uUa  Ambiguitate  proclamat,  non  folum  in  Reg- 
num  Dei  non  baptizatos  Parvulos  intrare  non  poffe,  fed  nee  Vi- 
tam  zeternam  poffe  habere  prater  Chrijii  Corpus,  cui  ut  incorpo- 
rentur,  Sacramento  Baptifmatis  imbuuntur  ?  De  Peccat.  Merit. 
L.  III.  c.  4.  N.  B.  He  here  refolves  the  Salvation  or  eternal 
Life  oi Baptized  Infants  into  Their -Inc^oration  (not  into  Their 
participating  of  the  Euchariji)  even  when  He  quotes  yohn  vi. 
among  other  Texts,  to  prove  it;:  And  He,  in  the  fame  Breathj 
fully  and  exprefly  maintains,  that  Infants,  in  and  by  Baptifm, 
iingly,  obtain  that  Incorporation  to  which  eternal  Life  is  annex' d,' 


104       An  Enquiry  concernmg 

impaired  by  any  fubfequent  Sins,  makes  Them, 
to  all  real  and  falutary  Purpofes,  as  much  Far- 
takers  of  the  Lord's  Table,  and  of  all  the  Be- 
?icfits  of  it,  as  the  participating  of  the  outward 
Eucharifl  could  do.  Literally  They  have  not 
Faith  'y  and  yet  They  are  of  the  Number  of 
the  Faithful :  Literally  They  exert  no  Repen- 
tance ',  and  yet  They  are  confidered  as  RepeJit- 
ing^.  Even  fo,  and  for  the  like  Reafon,  tho* 
literally  They  are  not  Communicants ;  yet  They 
are  confidered  as  Such,  and  really  are  fo  in  full 
Virtue y  and  beneficial  EffeBs.  This  Principle 
St.  Austin  bare  in  Mind,  and  conflantlyyi^/>- 
fofedj  where  He  did  not  diredllyT^^  it. 

II. 

Having  thus  far  cleared,  as  I  conceive, 
St.  Austin,  the  principal  Man,  there  w^ill  be 
the  lefs  Need  of  faying  any  Thing  of  Thofe 
Who  follovired  Him  in  the  fame  Argument  j 
becaufe  They  are  All  of  Them  to  be  inter- 
preted by  the  fame  Rule,  and  mufl  ftand  or 
fall  with  Him.  But  becaufe  Pope  Inno- 
cent I,  Marius  Mercator,  Faustus 
Reiensis,  Pope  Gelasius  I,  and  parti- 
cularly  Fulgentius,  All  within  lefs  than 

fourfcore 

'  Vid.  Ai'.gujlin,  de  Peccator.  Merit,  L.  I.  c.  xix. 


Infant-Communion.  1 05 

fourfcore  Years  of  St.  Austin,  have  dropp'd 
fome  Things  to  the  hke  Purpofe,  and  may  be 
of  fome  Ufe  for  farther  Illuftration,  or  Con- 
firmation of  the  fame  Thing  j  I  fliall  now  pro- 
ceed to  confider  Them  alfo,  and  in  the  fame 
Order  as  I  have  named  Them. 

Pope  Innocent  I,  in  the  Year  417  (five 
Years  after  St.  Austin's  iirft  engaging  the 
Pelagians  in  fuch  Manner  as  has  been  men- 
tion'd)  gives  His  Thoughts  upon  this  Article, 
in  a  Letter  fent  to  the  Council  of  Milevis  then 
iitting  upon  the  Queftion.  He,  I  fay,  in  that 
Letter,  after  quoting  yobi  vi.  53.  to  prove 
that  Lifants  can  have  no  Life  without  Baptifm^ 
proceeds  thus  :  "  They  Who  maintain  that 
*'  Infants  have  Life  without  Regeneration^ 
**  feem  to  Me  to  be  difpofed  to  make  void 
"  even  Baptifm  it  felf,  by  Their  afferting  that 
**  fuch  Infants  have  That,  which  it  is  believ- 
**  ed  They  cannot  have  conferred  upon  Them 
**  any  other  Way  than  by  Baptifm.  If  there- 
"  fore  their  Meaning  is,  that  the  Want  of 
"  Regeneration  is  no  Difadvantage,  They  muft 
*'  of  Confequence  fay,  that  the  Sacred  Waters 
**  of  Regeneration  are  of  no  Advantage  ^"  We 

may 

*  Illud  vcFo  quod  eos  veftra  Fraternitas  afferit  prsEdicare,  Par- 
vulos  aeternae  Vitas  PraEmiis  fine  Baptifmati*  Gratia  poffe  donari, 
perfatuum  eft  :    Niji  enim  manducanjerlnt  Carnem  Filii  Homtnis, 


1 06        An  Knquiry  concerning 

may  obferve  from  this  Paragraph,  that  the  Life 
fpoken.  of  in  yohn  vi.  (  whatever  Sacrament 
may  there  be  referred,  or  alluded  to)  is  ex- 
preily  declared  to  be  conferred  in  or  by  Baptifm. 
Suppofe  it  to  be  given  in  the  Eucbarijl  j  yet  it 
is  frft  given  in  Baptifm,  yea  and  in  the  Eu- 
charift  by  virtue  of  Baptifm  :  The  Argument 
turns  upon  that  very  Suppofition  :  From 
whence  it  is  manifefl:,  that  our  Author  con- 
ceived the  EucJoariJiical  Incorporation  to  be 
Nothing  more  than  the  Baptifmal  one  continu- 
ed, or  renewed:  Confequently,  if  the  Baptif- 
mal one  remained  entire,  and  unimpaired  (as  in 
Infants  it  mufl)  there  could  be  no  Need  of  the 
Euchariji  to  Them  5  becaufe  TIiqiy  Baptifm  hi- 
therto fuperfeded  it,  or  rather,  virtually  and 
eminently  contain'd  it. 

For,  as  Baptifm  a!o?2e  was  both  Faitb  and 
Repe?itance  to  fuch  Infants,  according  to  the 
Principles  of  that  Ao;e "  •  fo  was  it  likewife 
the  Eiicharift  to  Them,  for  the  fame  Reafon, 
and  m  the  fame  Way  of  favourable  and  natu- 
ral Conitrudion. 

As 

l5f  llberint  S/ztiguInem  ejus,  non  habehunt  Vltam  in  SernetJpf.s. 
Qui  autem  Hanc  [i.  e.  Fitani]  eis  fine  Regeneratione  defendunt, 
videntur  mihi  ipium  Baptifmum  velle  callare,  cum  prasdicant  Hos 
habere  quod  in  Eos  creditur  non  niji  Baptifmate  conferenclum.  Si 
«rgo  nihil  vclunt  of-'cere  non  renafci,  faceantur  necefle  ell  nee 
Regenerationis  Sacra  Fluenta  prodeffe.  Innocent.  EpiH.  apud  Au- 
giijihu 

»  yA.Au^jJl'in.  de  Peccat.  Merit.  L,  I.  c.  19^.27. 


Infant-Communion.  107 

As  Austin  and  Innocent  Both  hit  upon 
the  fame  Thought,  and  held  a  Correfpondence 
with  each  Other ;  it  has  been  made  a  Quefti- 
on,  Which  of  Them  jirft  fuggefted  it,  or 
Which  gave  the  firft  Hint :  But  perhaps  Both 
might  have  borrovv^ed  it  from  St.  Cyprian, 
Who  had  made  ufe  of  the  fame  150  Years 
before  w.  C y  p  r  i  a  n  at  that  Time  was  a warCj 
that  yohn  vi.  did  not  fo  properly  teach  the 
Neceffity  of  the  outward  Eiicharifl^  as  the 
Neceffity  of  that  inward  Incorporation  with 
Chrifl,  lignified  and  exhibited  in  the  Eucha- 
rift  :  Which,  being  begun  in  Baptifm^  looked 
back  to  it,  and  refolved  into  it,  and  flill  refted 
in  it,  as  in  its  proper  Seat :  Therefore,  what- 
ever is  faid  in  yohn  vi.  of  the  Neceffity  of  hav- 
ing Part  in  Chrift,  in  order  to  ILife^  does,  at 
the  fame  Time,  proclaim  the  abfolute  Necejjity 
of  having  it  in  the  Jirft  Infiance^  ^iyz,  in  Bap^ 
tifm,  without  which  there  can  be  no  fecond. 
Wherefore  Bede  (Who  was  a  knowing  Di~ 
vine)  underflands  yohn  vi.  ^j,  of  what  is 
commota  to  Both  Sacraments  '^, 

Our 


^  Ad  Regnum  Dei  nifi  baptizatus  &  renatus  fuerh,  pervenire 
non  poffe.  In  Evangelic  cata  Johannem  :  Nijt  quls  renatus  /a- 
erit,  &c.  nlji  ederitis  Carnem  Filii  Hominis  £ff  biberith  Zanguinem 
ejus,  non  habebitis  Vitam  in  njobis,  Cipriani  TeiliWQ3.  Lj.  l\h 
e,  XXV,  p.  314. 


ic8        An  Enquiry  concerning 

Our  next  Author  to  Innocent,  is  Mari- 
us  Mercator,  Contemporary  with  Him, 
and  join'd  in  the  fame  common  Caufe  againfl; 
the  Fclagians,  He  Ipeaks  highly  of  the  Gra- 
ces and  Privileges  of  Baptijin^  as  amounting 
to  SahatioTty  Redemption ^  and  Kemvation.  Af- 
terwardsj  quoting  yohn\\.  53.  which.  He  ap- 
pears to  underfland  as  belonging,  or  allud- 
ing, to  the  Eiichanji^  He  takes  notice,  that 
without  Bciptijm,  no  One  zifes  that  Other  Sa- 
crament, iior  is  Partaker  of  it  y  :  Where  He 
feems  to  dilHnguifh  between  iifitig  that  Sacra- 
ment, and  partaking  of  it.  Moft  certainly, 
no  One  comes  to  the  Eucharijt  'till  He  has  been 
baptized^  neither  does  He  favingly  partake  of 
it  (diredly  or  indirediy,  literally  or  interpre- 
tativeiy)  without  being  firfl:  regenerate  by  Bap- 
tijtn  :  Therefore,  v/ithout  all  Controverfy, 
and  beyond  all  Pretence  or  Evafion,  an  zm- 
baptized  InfarA  partakes  not  of  that  Sacrament 
in  any  Senfc,  nor  feeds  upon  the  Body  or  Blood 

of 


y  Videamus  Baptifma  ipfum,  cujus  Virtutis  fit,  quotve  &  quan- 
tas  habeat  Vires,  &  effeftuum  caul'as.  Dicit  de  illo  P aulas  Apoflo- 
lus  :  Shsi  Nos  rede?nit,  fal-vos  fecit  per  Lavacrum  Regenerationis 
iff  Rcfio^atiojus.  Ergo,  &  balus,  &  Redemptio,  &  Renovatio 
eft.     NuUane  ergo  Posna  erit  7ion-bapti%atis  Parviilis,  non  habere 

Salute7n,  Redemptionem,   Reno'vationem  ? ■   Non  viandiica-re 

Carnem  Domini,  Sc  bihefe  Sanguinem  ejus  ?  De  quo  Sacramento 
Vox  Salvatoris  eft,  niji  tna7iduco.-ue7-itts,  &c.  Quod  certe,  fine 
ulia  Tergiverfatione,  fine  Baptifmo  NuUus  vfurpat,  nee  fit  illiiii 
Particcps  Sacramenti.  Mcrcat.  Subnctat.  c.  viii.  p-  53. 


.  Infant-Communion.         109 

of  Chrift.  Thus  far  was  fuppofed  clear  and 
unqueftionable  ;  and  it  was  fufficient  to  fikncc 
the  Pelagians,  with  whom  the  Author  was 
concern'd,  and  fo  He  proceeded  no  farther. 
But  had  the  Qiieftion  been  put,  whether  a 
BaJ)ti zed Inhnt,  as  Such,  might  be  look'd  upon 
as  a  Partaker  of  the  Etichariji,  virtually  or  in 
EffeB,  being  Partaker  of  Salvation  and  Re- 
demption in  Chrift ;  The  Author  has  left  Room 
enough  for  refolving  the  Queftion  in  the  Af^ 
jirmative  5  yea  He  has,  by  Intimation  and  Im- 
plication, fo  refolved  it.  NeJloriuSy  in  the 
fame  Mercator,  does  it  more  plainly  and 
dired-ly  :  For  He  aflerts,  that  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  Chrift,  do,  by  Baptifm  (N.  B.)  loofe 
the  penal  Sentences,  which  ftand  in  Force 
againft  All  the  Unregenerate  z.  What  is  This, 
but  faying  that  Infants,  in  and  by  Baptifm,  are 
Partakers  of  Chrifl's  Body  and  Blood,  and  io, 
in  effed:,  are  Commiinicajits  without  literal^ 
receiving  the  outward  Comnrnmow  ? 

The  Hypogizofiicon,  which  has  fometime^ 
been  afcribed  to  St.  Austin,  is  now  believed 
by  the  bed  Criticks,  to  belong  to  our  Mer- 
cator.    There  we  are  told,  that  Infants, 

born 

^ •  Auferet  enim  fecum  Unufquifque  (Catechumeni's)  poe- 

nales  Sententias  adverfum  Naturam  prolatas.  Non  enim  fadtus  eft 
Particeps  Corporis  ejus  &  Sanguinis,  qui  per  Baptifmum  has  Sen- 
tentias  folvit,  ^c.  Mar.  Mer.  p.  77. 


no        An  Enquiry  concerning 

born  under  Defilementj  are  cleanfed,  in  Bdp^ 
tijm^  by  the  Blood  of  Chrifta  ♦.  Confequently^ 
They  are  Partakers  of  the  Blood  of  Chriji,  in 
and  by  Baptlfm,  The  fame  Author,  after 
quoting  Jobn  vi.  53.  to  prove,  againft  the  Pe- 
lagians^ that  Infants  could  not  be  fanjed  with- 
out Baptijht^  afk^i  How  They  could  have  the 
Zjifc  of  the  Kingdora  of  Hca'ue?!^  without  being 
born  again  of,  Water  and  of  the  Spirit^  being 
miih^x  fed  with  the  Flcfj  of  Chrifi^  nor  made 
to  drink  of  His  Blood  fl:ed for Rcmijfion  ofSins^  F 
Had  He  intended  This  of  their  literally  par- 
taking of  Both  SacramentSj,  He  muft  have 
denied  the  Sifjiciency  of  Baptijm  alone  to  Be^ 
mtfjlon  5  which  v^ould  be  flatly  contradictory 
to  his  exprefs  Doctrine  in  the  Paffage  before 
cited,  and  other  Places  alfo  of  the  fame  Trea- 
tife<^ :  Therefore  He  mud  mean,  that  Baptijm 
'alone  fupplies  all  the  Ufes  of  the  other  Sacra- 
ment, making  the  Perfon,  for  the  Time  be- 

.      ing, 

^  Hoc  Cceno  Peccati,  quo  narcuntur  Squalidi,  ut  in  Regnuni 
tcelorum  ingrediantur  immaculati,  immaculato,  f>er  Baptifmum^ 
Sanguine  Chrifti  mundantul*.  Hypognojl.  L.  V.  c.  ii.  p.  37.  Au- 
gufi'm.  Opp.  Tom.  X. 

^  Quomodo  igitur  ^^itam  Regni  Ccelorum  promittitis  Parvulis 
Hon  renatis  ex  Aqua  &  Spiritu  Sanfto,  non  abatis  Came,  neque 
fotatis  Ba7igtave  Chrijli,  qui  fufus  eft  in  Remiffionem  Peccato- 
rum  ?  Ibid.  Lib.  V.  c.  v.  p.  40. 

^  Omnino  in  RemiJ]io7ie?n  Peccatonan  baptizantur  &  Parvuli  : 
Alioquin  non  habebunt  in  Regno  Ccelorum  Vitam.  Dimittitur 
enim  eis  Regeneratione  Spiritali  quod  traxerunt;  ut  fepe  dixi,  eJt 
Jda?!i.  generalione  carnali.  C.  viii.  p.  42. 


infant-Communion.  txi 

ing,  a  Partaker  of  the  Body  and  of  the  Bkod 
of  Chrift  :  And  indeed.  He  ahiiofl  fays  it  in 
Terms,  when  He  fays  of  fuch  Infants,  that 
They  are  baptized  in  the  Blood  of  Chrifl^^,  and 
at  the  fame  Time  calls  Baptijm  their  Drink, 

Faustus  Reiensis,  fuppofed  to  be  the 
Author  that  goes  under  the  Name  of  Euse- 
Eius  Em  I  SEN  us,  argues  againfl:  the  Pelagians 
from  Johizvi.  53.  much  after  the  fame  V/ay, 
and  is  to  be  interpreted  by  the  fame  Rules  e. 
As  I  have  Nothing  very  particular  to  obferve 
from  Him,  it  may  fuffice  juft  to  have  men- 
tion'd  Him  in  his  Turn.  He  fiourifli'd  about 
A.D.  472. 

Pope  Gelasius  fiouridi'd  in  the  Clofe  of 
the  fame  Century,  about  A.D.  492.  He  re- 
inforces the  fame  Argument  for  the  Neceflity 
of  Infant-Baptifm ^  drawn  from  'John  vi.  53, 
infifting  upon  it,  that  Infants  cannot  have  Life 
without  eating  Chrift's  Plef^  and  drinking  His 

Blood ; 

•*  Attende  Ediftui  ejus  :  "Non  Opus  eft  faiiis  Medicus,  fed  male 
habentibus.  Et  a4veri'us  eum  falfum  de  Parvulis  dicere  conticefce, 
qui  Eis  Pot  urn,  non  fanis,  fed  aegrotantibus  Baptifmu?n  in  f-uo  San- 
guine procuravit.  Ihid.  c.  viii.  p.  42. 

*  Nifi  manducaveritis,  ^c.  Quod  TeRimonium  contra  Pe- 
lagii  Elafphemias  evidentiffimum  atque  validifTimum  eft,  qui  af- 
ferere  arrepta  Impietate  prsfumit,  non  prapter  Vitam,  fed  prop- 
ter Regvum  Ccelorum  Baptifmum  Parvulis  conferendum.  Sub  his 
enim  Dei  Verbis,  quibus  Evangelifta  pronuntiat,  non  habebitis 
Vitam  in  vobis,  aperte  intelligenda  eft  omnis  Anima  raunere  Bap- 
tifmi  vacua,  non  lolum  Gloria  carere,  fed  Vita.  Fauft.  Regienf.  ia 
Pafch.  Hom.  V.  p.  267. 


112        An  Enquiry  concerning 

Blood',  nor  fo  eat  and  drink^  unlefs  baptized. 
He  may  be  underftood  of  (piritiial  FeediJig^ 
abftra(fled  from  the  Eucharifi,  For  He  does 
not  fay,  that  They  muft  (o  eat  and  drink  in 
the  Euchariji  :  But  He  afferts,  that  Infants 
obtain  Life  by  Their  Baptifm,  and  that  They 
are  tranflated  to  God's  right  Hand  by  Sacred 
Regeneration  f .  This  is  too  much  for  Him  to 
have  faid,  had  He  thought  that  the  a6fual  life 
of  Both  Sacraments  had  been  as  necejj'ary  as 
One  :  But  if  the  Pi^ime  Sacrament,  in  fuch  a 
Cafe,  was  thought  to  be  Equivalent  to  Both^ 
or  eminently  to  contain  Both^  then  all  is  ra- 
tional and  right. 

We  may  now  come  down  to  Fulgenti- 
us,  at  the  Head  of  the  next  Century.  He 
indeed  was  the  firft  Man  who  fpake  clearly, 
fully,  and  diftindlly  to  the  Point  now  in  Hand, 
having  a  particular  Occafion  for  fo  doing.  The 

Difficulty 

^  Quia  propria  non  habent  uUa  Peccata,  conftat  eis  fcia  prorfus 
Or'iginalia  relaxari.     Itaque  omnibus,  eciam  foils,  remiffis,  Vi- 

tam  per  Baptifmurn  confequuntur  aeternani,  y  c. Unde  & 

JDominus  ait  (quod  utique  nifi  haptizatis  convenit)  ^t  non  man- 
duca=verit.  Sec.  De  f^tfa  autem  sterna  Hoc  diclum  Nullus  ad- 
dubitat,  quoniam  Multi  non  m'&.-!A-^Ci.xiX.t%hoc5acramentu7n  Vitam 
habere  videantur  przefcntem.  Nihil  eft  ergo  quod  dicant  quod 
V071  renati  Infantes  tantunimodo  in  Regnum  Ccclorum  ire  non  va- 
leant :  — •  dum  fine  Baptiimate  Corpus  Sc  Sanguinem  Chrifti  nee 
cdere  valeant,  nee  potare,  fnie  autem  hoc  Vitam  in  femetipfis 
habere  non  pollint.  — <-  Baptizatos  fmant  ad  dextram  falutarem 
facra  Regeneratiove  travsferri.  Gelaf.  apud  Harduin,  ConciK 
'J"om.  II.  p.  890. 


Infant-Communion.         113 

Difficulty  had  not  been  ftarted  before  :  Or 
there  had  appeared  no  Difficulty  in  it,  among 
Such  as  underftood  the  prevailing  Principles  of 
former  Times.  However,  in  Fulgentius*^ 
Days,  Ferrandus,  One  of  his  Deacons,  had 
propofeda  Scruple  to  Fulgent i us,  about  the 
NeceJJity  or  VJe  of  the  Euchariji  to  Thofe  v^ho 
had  been  baptized  j  deliring  to  know  whether, 
if  Any  died  immediately  after  Baptijm,  and 
before  They  could  receive  the  Euchariji,  They 
incurred^;?)'  Damage,  or  none  -,  and  if  any,  how 
much,  or  what^, 

FuLGENTius,  without  the  leafl:  Scruple 
or  Helitation,  immediately  folved  his  Doubt, 
by  telling  Him,  that  from  the  Moment  any 
Perfon  was  baptized.  He  was  ipJbfaSio  a  Com- 
municant, a  Far  taker  of  the  Bread  of  the 
Eucharift,  as  He  was  a  Member  of  the  Body 
fiornified  in  it,  and  as  He  was  Himfelf  a  Bart 
of  That  very  Body,  and  of  That  very  Sacrifice 
there  offered ;  meaning  the  collective  Body  of 
true  Chrifiiam,  This  He  declares  to  be  the 
Do<3:rine  of  the  Holy  Fathers  before  Him,which 
They  had  believed  and  taught  as  an  unquefiion- 

Vol.  II.  Cc  able 


*  Petlmus  ut  veloci  Refpoafione  Nos  inftruas,  utrum  noceat, 
quantum  ?ioceat,  an  omnino  nihil  noceat,  fi  Quis  baptizatus  in  No- 
mine Sandae  Trinitatis,  facro  Cibo  Potuque  fraudetur.  Ferrand. 
ad  Fulgent,  p.  215. 


114        '^  'Enquiry  concerning 

able  Verity  **.  He  goes  on  to  confirm  the  fame 
from  a  whole  Sermon  of  St.AusxiN  Himfelf ». 
From  hence  We  may  clearly  perceive  how- 
to  reconcile  the  more  obfcure  Paflages  of  St. 
Austin,  or  oih^x Fathers,  fo  as  to  make  Their 
fianding  DoElrtne  of  the  Sufficiency  of  Baptifm 
perfedly  confiftent  with  what  They  have  been 
thought  to  teach  of  the  NeceJJity  of  Infant-Com- 
rnimion.  They  did  not  mean  (as  indeed  They 
did  never  fay)  that  baptised  Infants  muft  pre- 
fently  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  Table,  or 
muft  receive  the  confecrated  Breads  or  Wine  : 
All  They  really  meant  was,  that  unbaptized  In- 
fants muft  have  Baptifm^  muft  have  Regenera- 
tion, in  Order  to  incorporate  Them  into  Chrift's 
Body,  and  to  make  Them  truly  Partakers  of 
His  Flejh  and  Blood.  Being  once  fo  regenerate^ 
andyo  incorporate.  They  were  Commu7iica?its  of 
Courfe,  in  Conftru^ion  of  Gofpel-law,  and  in 

Church- 

^  Tunc  incipit  Unufquifque  Particeps  efie  lUius  unius  Panisy 
quando  cceperit  Memhriim  efic  illius  unius  Corporis,  quod  in  iin- 
gulis  Membris,  quando  in  Baptifmo  Capiti  Chrifto  fubjungitur, 
tunc  jam  Deo  njiva  Hojiia  veraciter  immolatur.  lUo  enim  Na- 
ti'vitatis  Munere  fie  fit  Sacrijicium  ficut  fit  &  Templum.  Qui  ergo 
Memhruni  Corporis  Chrifti  fit,  quomodo  non  accipit  quod  Ipfe  fit, 
quando  utique  illius  fit  verum  Corporis  Membrum,  cujus  Corporis 
eft  in  Sacrificio  Sacramentum  ?  Hoc  ergo  fit  Ille  Regeiieratione 
Sandli  Baptifmatis,  quod  eft  de  Sacrificio  fiimpturus  Altaris.  Quod 
etiam  Sanftos  Patres  indnbitanter  credidiffe  i^  docuijje  cognofci- 
Jnus.  Beatus  etiam  Aiigujiinus  de  hac  Re  Sermonem  fecit  ad- 
jnodum  luculentum,  I3 c.    Fulgent,  ad  Ferrajid.  p.  226. 

*  Vid.  Aiigufibu  Serm.  CCLXXII.  p.  U03.  Tom.  V.  Edit. 
Bened.  Conf.  Serm.  CCXXVIL  p.  973.  &  Serm.  CCXXIX. 
P-977' 


Infant-Communion,         1 1  j 

t^hurch- Account y  as  much  as  if  They  had  lite-* 
rally  received  the  Holy -Communion, 

FuLGENTius  therefore  concludes  His  Epif- 
tie  with  thefe  excellent  Words :  *'  No  One 
"  ought  to  entertain  any  the  leaft  Doubt,  but 
**  that  Every  One  of  the  Faithful  is  then  made 
"  a  Partaker  of  the  Lord's  Body  and  Bloody 
"  when  He  is  made  a  Member  of  Chriil's  Body 
*'  in  Baptifm,  Neither  can  He  be  thought  no 
"  Sharer  in  the  [Sacramental]  Bread  and  Cup^ 
"  tho'  He  fhould  depart  this  Life  before  He 
**  eats  of  that  Bread,  or  drinks  of  that  Cup  j 
"  provided  only  that  He  retains  his  Union  with 
*'  Chrift's  Body :  For,  He  is  not  without  a 
*'  Partnerjhip  in  that  Sacrament,  or  without 
*'  the  Benefit  of  it,  fo  long  as  He  is  Himfelf 
*'  That  'very  'Thing  which  The  Sacrament  im^ 
^'  ports^,'' 

This  Refolution  of  Fulgentius  may  be 
fufficient  to  end  all  Difpute  on  this  Head  j  con- 
iidering  how  clear ^  and  how  peremptory  it  is, 
and  given  in  the  Name  of  the  Holy  Father  be- 

V  o  L.  IL  G  c  2  fore 

*  Nee  Cuiquam  eflealiquatenusambigencium  tunc  Unumquem- 
que  Fidelium  Corporis  Sanguinifque  Dominici  Parficipefn  fieri 
quando  in  Baptifmate  Membrum  Corporis  Chrifti  efficitur :  Nee 
alienari  ab  illo  Panis  Calicifve  Conforiio,  etiamfi  antequam  Pa- 
nem  ilium  comedat,  &  Calicem  bibat,  de  hoc  fseculo,  in  unitate 
Corporis  Chrifti  conftitutus,  abfcedat*  Sacramenti  quippe  illius 
Participation  &s  Beneficio  non  privatur,  quando  Ipfe  Hoc  quod 
jlludSacranientuin_/%«//ff«^,  invenitur.  Fulgent.  ibid=  p.zzjjZzS, 


1 1 6      An  "Enquiry  concerning 

fore  Him  ;  confidering  likewife,  how  knowing, 
and  how  eminent  a  Perfonage  He  was,  how 
near  to  St.  Austin's  Days,  and  how  great  an 
Admirer  of  Him  and  His  Writings ;  an  African^ 
alfo,  and  the  Mouthy  as  it  were,  of  all  the 
African  Churches  in  His  Time. 

I  am  aware  that  Endeavours  have  been  ufed 
to  elude  the  Force  of  His  Teflimony  ^  But 
the  Pretences  are  flight  and  trivial,  moftly 
built  upon  Mifconception  and  Mifreprefen- 
tation  "^,  as  every  difcerning  Reader  will  per- 
ceive upon  the  flighted  Examination :  And 
therefore  I  fhall  fpare  my  felf  the  Trouble  of 
confuting,  or  reciting  Them  ". 

III. 

^  Whzthy,  Striftur.  Patr.  p.  214. 

Bingham^  xv.  4,  7. 

^  It  is  ftrangely  miftaking  Him,  to  fay  He  refolved  the  Cafe 
into  the  Necejftty  of  it,  or  unavoidable  Impediment  (fuch  as  in 
which  the  Ancients  judged  favourably  of  the  want,  evenof  Bap- 
tifm  it  felf)  when  He  fo  plainly  refolves  it  into  quite  another 
Principle,  viz.  That  Infants  baptised,  are  by  Their  Baptifm  Com- 
municants \njuji  Conjlrunioii,  and  real  EfFeft,  as  therein  partak- 
ing of  Chrijly  of  His  Body  and  Blood,  yea  and  of  His  Table. 

"  Bede''s  Conftruftion  o^John  vi.  53.  may  give  fome  Light  to 
Tulgentius.  Nemo  abfque  hujus  [Sacramenti]  Confortio,  Vitcc 
Confors  poffit  effe  perennis :  Niji  enim  manduca-veritis.  See.  Bed.  in 
Gene/.  L.  III.  in  Gen.  xiv.  18,  ig,  20.  No  one  can  ha've  Part 
in  eternal  Life,  without  ha^jing  Part  in  That  Sacrament.  So 
far  is  certain.  But  then  it  is  to  be  confidered,  that  every  /w^^- 
//zi-i/ Perfon,  who  has  not  forfeited,  nor  impaired  His  Baptilm^ 
continually  has  Part  in,  or  partakes  of  the  Lord's  Table  :  He  is 
a  Communicant  in  Right,  and  in  real  Effefl,  without  any  Thing 
more.  He  is  a  Gueji  of  that  Table,  in  the  fame  Senfe  aa  He  is 
a  Citizen  of  Heaven. 


Infant-Communion.         117 

HI. 

I  have  now  purfued  this  Matter  down  from 
the  Beginning  of  the  Fifth  Century,  to  the  Be- 
ginning of  the  Sixth :  So  it  refted,  as  I  ap- 
prehend, till  the  Da?'k  Ages  came  on  j  till  the 
Clofe  of  the  Eighth  Cejitury^  or  the  Opening 
of  the  Ninth,  Then  began  fome  Variation  in 
This  Matter;  when  the  ancient  Principles 
might  eafiiy  be  forgotten,  or  elfe  be  mifun- 
derftood.  From  That  Time,  we  may  date 
the^r/?  Rife  of  the  Dod:rine  of  the  StriB  Ne- 
cefjity  of  Itifa?it -Communion,  About  the  Year 
794,  there  are  fome  Appearances  of  fuch  a 
Notion's  beginning  to  prevail " :  But  in  the 
Century  next  following,  it  made  great  Ad- 
vances J  when  it  came  to  be  a  Rule,  that  a 
Trefhyter  fhould  have  the  Eucharift  always 
ready,  to  give  to  Infants,  either  as  foon  as 
baptized,  or  when  In  Danger  of  Death  "^ ;  and 
that  if  a  Bifliop  were  not  prefent  to  confirm  a 
Child  immediately  upon  Baptifn,  The  offici- 

C  c  3  ating 

*  Vid.  CaroU  M.  Capit,  prolix,  de  non  adorand.  Imagirb. 
L.  II.  c.  xxvii.  A.  D.  757. 

P  Semper  Euchariftiam  Prefbyter  habeat  paratam  ut  quando 
Quis  infirmatus  fuerit,  aut  Parvulus  jegrotaverit,  ftatim  Eum  com- 
municet,  ne  fine  viatico  moriatur.  Walt.  Aurelian.  c.  vii.  p.  461. 
Harduin.  Concil.  Tom.  V.  Conf.  Reghio.  L.  I.  c.  Ixix.  p.  57. 
I-von.  Decret.  Part.  II.  c.  xx.  Burchard.  L.  V.  c.  x.  Vid.  etiam 
Martens  De  Antiq.  Eccl.  Rit.  Tom.  I.  p.  160,  162.  Tom.  III. 
p.  548.     Ba/uz.  Not.  ad  Reoinon.  p-  551.     Bingham,  XV,  4,  7. 


i  1 8       An  'Enquiry  concerning 

ating  Priefl  fhould  not  wait,  but  fhould  di- 
redly  give  Him  the  Communion  ^.  Thefe,  and 
the  hke  Rules,  were  plain  Indications  of  fuch 
a  Notion's  prevailing  in  the  hatin  Churches  of 
thofe  Times.  And  One  may  draw  a  good  pre- 
fumptlve  Argument  from  thence,  that  no 
fuch  Principle  had  obtain'd  in  the  earlier  Ages, 
becaufe  no  fuch  Rules,  were  then  thought  on, 
fo  far  as  appears '.  One  may  obferve,  by  the 
Reafons  given  in  the  9th  Century,  and  after, 
for  Infant-Communion^  that  the  Advocates  for 
it  were  far  gone  off  from  the  antient  Princi- 
ples of  the  Church,  and  particularly  from 
Thofe  of  St.  Austin.  For  Inflance,  Jesse, 
Billiop  oi  Amiens^  about  A.  D,  814^  inlifls 
upon  Communion,  that  the  Infant  may  be- 
come a  Member  ofChrifi^:  And  Rabanus 
Mauhus,  a.  P,  847.  requires  the  fame,  that 

the 

^  Poflea  veftiatur  Infans  VefUmentis  fuis.  Si  vero  Epifcopus 
adeft,  ftatim  confirmari  Eum  oportet  Chrifmate,  &  poftea  com- 
municare  r  Et  fi  Epifcopus  deeft,  eommuuicetur  a  Prefbytero.  Pfeud. 
Jlcuin-  Offic.  de  Sabbat.  Pafch.  p.  259.  Conf,  Martene,  Tom. I. 
p.  192,  191;,  197. 

^  So  far  from  it,  that  the  Anticnts  made  no  Provifion  for  the  Bu~ 
tharlji  (like  as  for  Baptifm)  in  extreme  Cafes  ;  never  allowed  any 
Deacon,  much  lefs  a  Laic^  to  adrainifter.  They  fufFered  Many  to 
die  without  Confirmation,  in  Country  Villages,  and  fo  of  Courf^ 
without  the  Eucharifi  (to  which  Confirmation  ought  to  be  fre-- 
«vious)  apprehending  no  Danger  to  the  Salvation  of  Infants  by 
thofe  Negleds.  Vid.  Hlercn.  Dialog,  contr,  Lucifer.  Q.  iv.  Conf. 
ConciL  Eliberit.  Can.  LXXVIL 

»  Ut  Chrifti  Membrum  ^^t  poiTit.  Jeffe  Amhiamnf,  ^piid  Ba,Iu^ 
inNot,  adRegin.  p.  552. 


Infant-Communion.         119 

the  Child  may  thereby  become  the  Temple  of 
God  ^ :  Both  which  EfFeds  were  fufficiently 
provided  for  by  Baptif?n  alone,  according  to 
St.  Austin,  and  All  the  antient  Fathers.  No 
wonder  therefore,  if  a  wrong  PraBice  came 
in,  when  once  Men  had  forgotten  the  o/<^and 
right  Principles.  How  long,  or  how  far  the 
Do6lrine  of  the  NeceJJity  of  InfanUCommunion 
prevailed  in  the  Weji,  does  not  certainly  ap- 
pear«.  Archbifhop  Lanfranc,  of  the  XI^^ 
Century,  A.  D.  loy^i  difownedii,  declaring  it 
no  Dodlrine  of  the  Englijhj  or  foreign  Churches: 
And  He  fcrupled  not  to  argue  againft  it  from 
Scripture,  and  Reafon,  and  likew^ife  from  St. 
Austin's  Principles  ^. 

The  Greeks  had  not  yet  come  into  the  No- 
tion of  the  Strict  Neceffity  of  Infant-Comtnu- 
niou',  if  we  may  judge  by  the  Ruleof  Chris t- 
ODULUS,  Patriarch  oi  Alexandria  in  the  XI^^ 
Century,  A.  D.  1 048  y  which  was,  that,  or-* 
dinarily.  Communion  fhould  be  adminiftred 
to  Infants  along  with  Baptifm  ;  but  that,  iri 
Cafes  of  Extremity,  Baptifm  only  fliould  be 
C  q  4  given  J, 

*  Ut  Deum  habere  mereatur  in  fe  Habitatorem.  Rohan.  Maur. 
De  Inllit.  Cleric,  c.  28. 

^  It  is  thought  to  have  continued  in  fome  Churches  to  th©. 
XII«»^  or  XIIF.i?  Century.  See  Bingham  XV.  4,  7.  Qaho^r-  ^}^i 
tiial.Ecclef.  Tom.  I.  p.  306. 

J.  hanfranc,  Epift.  ad  Donat.  p.  56.1. 


I20        An  Enquiry  concerning 

given,  without  the  Euchariji  x  .♦  From  which 
we  may  reafonably  infer,  that  The  Greeks  of 
That  Time  did  not  think  (whatever  Others 
may  have  thought  fince)  that  Baptifm  and  the 
Euchariji  were  of  equal  Neceffity :  For,  had 
They  fo  conceived,  They  would  have  con^ 
trived,  fome  Way  or  other,  to  adminifter  Both 
together  to  every  dying  Infant.  The  more  mo* 
dern  Greeks  of  the  XIV^**  Century,  and  down* 
wards,  have  pleaded  warmly  for  Infant-Com-- 
munioiiy  and  the  Necejity  of  it,  in  their  Dif- 
putes  with  the  Latins  y  j  grounding  their  Doc- 
trine upon  John  vi.  53.  rigoroufly  interpreted ; 
And  yet  They  know  very  well  how  to  explain 
That  Text  to  a  "virtual,  not  literal  Commu^ 
nion,  as  often  as  They  have  a  Mind  to  prove 
from  the  fame  Text,  that  Saints  departed  were 
Communicants  of  the  Altar^.  I  fliall  fay  No- 
thing of  the  prefent  Practice  of  the  Greek  or 
Oriental  Churches ;  becaufe  it  would  lead  me 
too  far,  to  do  it  diHindtly  j  and  a  confufed  ge- 
neral 

*  Qgando  Infantt  Baptlfmus  adminiftratur,  jejunus  erit,  ISc. 
Iieque  abfque  Communione  licet  Baptifmum  adminillrare.  Ha;c 
autem  intelligenda  funtjuxta  alios  Canones  multos,  nempe  fi 
Periculum  mortis  non  urgeat :  Tunc  enim,  non  modo  licet,  fed 
prscipitur  adminiftrare  Baptifmum  abfque  Euchariftia.  Renaudot. 
Hiftor.  Patriarch.  Alex.  p.  423. 

y  Vid.  Jrcudius,  p.  45 — ;o,  324. 

*  Vid.  Nicol.  Cabafilas  Expofit.  LiturgiaD.  c.  xlii.  p.  253.  in 
Biblioth.  Patr.  Tom.  11.  Ed,  Parif.     And  compare  Arcuim. 


Infant-Communion.         1 2  r 

neral  Account  would  be  of  no  Ufe.  Enough 
has  been  laid  to  fliew,  that  the  NeceJJity  of  /;z- 
fant'Commiinion  has  not  the  Countenance  of  y^z» 
tiquity :  The  Reft  is  of  fmail  Momentj  in  com^ 
parifon. 

IV, 

I  Intend  not,  however,  by  any  Thing  which 
I  have  here  faid,  to  deny  that  the  Antients  ad- 
mitted Perfons  much  younger  to  Communion, 
than  is  now  commonly  done  in  thefe  Weftern 
Parts  of  the  V/orld.  All  I  infift  upon  is,  that 
They  gave  not  the  Communion  to  mere  Infants, 
but  to  Children^  perhaps  5,  6,  7,  or  10  Years 
old ;  and  That  under  a  Notion  of  prudent  CaU' 
tion,  rather  than  oi  JlriSi  Necejity^  fo  far  as 
appears. 

Cyprian  (about  A.  D.  250)  fpeaks  of  a 
young  Girl's  receiving  the  Etichariji  ^ :  But 
learned  Men^  obferve,  that  She  might  be^  or 
probably  was,  4  or  5  Years  old  :  Others  dif- 
pute  the  Probability,  thinking  flie  was  not  fo 
old,  but  a  mere  Infant  c ;  Whatever  the  Cafe 
was,  it  was  z  Jingle  Injiance,  fo  far  as  appears, 
and  of  Qfie  particular  Churchy  the  Church  of 

Carthage  j 

^  Cyprtan  De  Lapfls,  p.  132. 

^  Wall.  Kift.  of  Inf.  Bapt.  Part  II.  c.  ix.  n.  15.  Zorn'ius 
Dpufc.  Sacr.  Tom.  I.  p.  735. 

«=  Bsine.  Effay  on  Infant-'Communion,  p.  38,  ^f. 


T  2  2        An  Enquiry  concerning 

Carthage ;  and  it  is  not  faid  upon  what  Princi-^ 
pie  fuch  Practice  was  founded. 

The  Conjlitutions y  called  Apofiolical^  twice 
make  mention  of  C/?/M-^/z,  as  receiving  the  Com- 
munion d.  They  were  Children^  T^aiS'icc,  not  mere 
Infants, not  vriTrioi.  They  might  be  7  or  10  years 
old,  or  older :  From  whence  an  Argument  may 
be  drawn,  that  the  Infants  did  not  communi- 
cate ;  fnice  They  are  not  fo  much  as  named  in 
this  particular  Recital. 

Timothy,  Bifhop  of  Alexandria y  in  his 
Canonical  Anfwers^  about  A.D.  380,  puts  the 
Cafe  of  a  Lad  oi  feven  years  old,  a  Catechumen^ 
being  prefent  at  the  Oblation^  and  eating  of  it 
thro'  Ignorance ;  and  He  determines,  that  fuch 
Lad,  fo  receiving,  fliould  immediately  be  bapr 
tized^.  One  may  reafonably  from  thence  con* 
jediure,  that  feven  Years  of  Age  was  then 
thought  an  Age  proper  for  receiving.  For  how 
could  fuch  a  Lad  ileal  in  and  receive,  if  other 
Lads  of  His  Size  or  Years  did  not  then  come 
to  the  Lord's  Table  ?  One  may  farther  perhaps 
infer,  that  That  was  the  loweji  Age  then  and 
there  approved  of  for  the  Communion :  For 
otherwife,  why  fhould  He  fo  particularly  have 
mention'd  That  Age,  or  why  fhould  He  not 
have  made  the  fame  Rule  for  Lads  of  4,  5^  or 

6  Years 

^  Cot-Jlit.  JpoJlol.'L.Ylll.  c.  xii.  p.  403.  c.  xiii.  p.  409, 
*  Timotk.  Alexandr.  apud  Harduin,  Goncil. 


Infant-Communion.  123 

6  Years  old,  had  Any  come  to  Communion  fo 
young  in  That  Church  ? 

Pope  Leo  (about  A.  D.  440)  fpeaks  of  com- 
municating Infants  :  But  by  His  Account  of 
Them,  They  were  old  enough  to  make  Their 
Refponfes,  to  fay  Ame?2,  if  not  more  ^. 

DioNYsiusfo  called  (probably P^/r/^j Fidlo s, 
who  lived  about  A.  D.  480)  is  fuppofed  to 
fpeak  of  the  Communion  as  given  to  Children^  t 
But,  an  attentive  Reader  will  fee  Reafon  to 
believe,  that  the  whole  PafTage  is  to  be  under- 
ftood  of  Baptifm  only  ^. 

Gennadi  us  Massiliensis  mentions 
Childre?i  as  admitted  to  Communion^  after  re- 
turning from  Heretical  Aflemblies  to  the 
Church  :  And  He  would  have  Others  anfwer 
for  Them  with  Refpecft  to  Their  Faith.  He  lays 
down  the  fame  Rule  for  Adults  in  that  Cafe, 
if  flow  of  Underftanding  i.  So  that  the  Par^ 
vuli^  the  Children^  of  whom  He  fpeaks,  might 
be  7,  or  10  Years  old,  if  not  more  :  For  Boys 
at  That  Age  might  not  be  capable  of  giving 
any  rational,  fatisfacftory  Account  of  their  Faith, 
in  difputed  Articles. 

Gregory 

'  Leo.  Epift.  49.  p.  ?  18,  Tom.  I.  Edit.  Quenell. 
S  Vi4-  tequien.  Differtat.  Damafcen.  p.  43, 

*  Dionyjtajier.  Ecclef.  Hierarch.  c.  vii.  nil.  p.  417. 

*  Conf.  Pfeudo-juftin.  Qaceition.  ad.  Orth.odoX.  375j  376, 
And  Vafquez.  Tom.  III.  p.  337, 

j  Qemmus  Ma^S^il  Dogmat,  c.  kxU'  ; 


1 24       An  Enquiry  concerning 

Gregory  o^  Tours  (about  A.  D.  573)  tells  us 
a  Story  of  an  Infant-yew  who  happen'd  to  re- 
ceive the  Eiicharifl  among  the  Chrijiian  Chil- 
dren, Communicants  ^  The  Story  perhaps  is 
fabulous  :  But  His  Manner  of  telling  it  is  an 
Argument  of  the  PraSiice  of  His  own  Time. 
However,  That  Child  which  He  fpeaks  of  was 
fuppofed  to  be  old  enough  to  make  a  Report 
of  what  had  been  done,  and  therefore  was  not 
a  mere  Infant. 

The  XI^li  Council  of  Toledo  (A.  D.  673)  has 
been  fometimes  cited  in  Favour  of  the  Pradice 
of  Infant-Communion  -,  where,  in  Mitigation  of 
a  former  Canon  (which  had  laid  the  Cenfure 
of  Excommunication  upon  Thofe  who  did  not 
eat  and  drink  the  Elements,  when  admini- 
flred)  They  provided  a  Salvo  or  Exception  for 
Perfons  under  Sicknefs,  or  under  a  State  of  In- 
fancy :  But  I  leave  it  to  the  Learned  to  con- 
Uder  whether  the  Words  may  not  rather  be 
underflood  of  u4dult  Perfons,  who  might  hap- 
pen to  h^  fpeechkfs  thro'  fome  Difeafe,  and  fo 
not  able  to  give  Account  of  Themfelves,  during 
That  Exigency :  For,  it  would  be  ftrange  to 
imagine,  or  fufpedt  that  any  mere  Infants  fliou'd 
be  excommunicated. 

BepEj 

^  Gffgor.  Turon.  p.  732.  Ed.  Bened, 
iV/V^;/&.  L.  XVII.  c,  XXV. 


Infant-Communion.         125 

Bede,  in  the  Year  734,  fipe^ks  o£  Boys  and 
Girls  coming  to  Communion,  and  both  ap- 
proves and  advifes  it ' :  But  He  fays  not  a 
word  of  mere  Infants:  Which  yet  He  could 
not  well  have  omitted  on  That  Occafion,  had 
it  been  the  Pradice  of  His  Time,  or  had  He 
entertain'd  any  Notion  of  the  ^nO:  NeceJJity  of 
Infant-  Communion, 

The  Gregorian  Sacramentary  does  indeed 
fpeak  very  plainly  of  Infant-Communion  ^ :  And 
fo  llkewife  does  the  Or  do  Romanus "  :  But  Both 
thofe  Offices,  confidered  as  interpolated^  and 
according  to  the  State  they  now  appear  in, 
may  reafonably  be  judged  to  bear  Date  no  ear- 
lier than  the  Decline  of  the  VIIF^  Century^  or 
Beginning  of  the  IX^h,  if  fo  early  °.  By  That 
Time,  it  is  granted  Infant  ^Communion  had  crept 
in,  and  under  a  Perfuafion  of  its  Necejity^ 
founded  upon  John  vi,  taken  together  with 
fome  Paifages  of  the  Antierits  mifunderflood. 

The 

•  Beda  Epift.  ad  Ecgbert.  p.  311.  Edit.  Cant 

^  Pontifex  redit  in  Sacrarium,  expeftans  ut  cum  veftiti  fuerint 
Infantes,  confirmet  Eos,  Qui  etiam  non  prohibentur  la£iari  ante 
Sacram  Communionem.  Gregor,  Sacram.  L.  I.  c.  xx. 
■  °  lUud  autem  de  Parvulis  providendum  eft,  ut  poftquam  bapti- 
zati  fuerint,  nullum  Cibum  accipiant,  nee  la£lentur  antequam 
communicent  Sacramenta  Corporis  Chrifti.  Ordo.  Rom.  I.  p  28. 
in  Mabillon.  Muf.  Ital.  Tom.  II.  Conf.  Martene  de  Antiq.  Eccl. 
Kit.  Tom.  I.  p.  177,  179,  180,  181,  198. 

**  See  Dodn-vell,  of  Incenfing,  n.  55.  p,  218. 

Dcillicus,  De  Confirmat.  p,  377. 

0»^/3,  Tom.I.  p.  18 1 8. 


126        An  Enquiry  concerning 

The  Sum  is,  that  the  early  Ages  did  give  thd 
CommuiiiQn,  not  to  mere  Infants^  but  to  Child- 
ren of  ten  years  old,  or  perhaps y^^u^-^  j  fcarcely 
to  Any  younger ;  unlefs  we  may  except  the 
iingle  Inftance  reported  by  Cyprian.  I  men- 
tion ^Ten  years  old),  becaufe  That  was  the  Age 
pitch'd  upon  as  the  moll  Hkely  for  Children, 
ordinarily,  to  become  guilty  of  aciual  Sin,  or 
for  Sin  to  be  imputed?,  I  mention y^-u^-w  ;  be- 
caufe fome  Children  (of  better  Education,  or 
riper  Capacity)  might  even  at  that  Age  be 
thought  capable  of  Sin  :  Or  That  Age  might 
be  pitch'd  upon  for  the  greater  Caution  and 
Security :  Such  feems  to  have  been  the  Rule 
formerly  in  the  Church  of  Alexandria ;  as  I 
have  before  hinted,  and  of  fome  Latins  in  later 
Times  q :  And  fuch  is  the  Rule  of  the  Muf' 
covites  at  This  Day  ■■  j  derived,  very  probably^ 
from  ancie?2t  Tradition.  For,  tho'  the  Ancients 
conftantly  maintain'd  the  Sufficie?tcy  of  Baptifm 
to  the  Salvation  of  Infants  j  yet  They  extended 
it  not  beyond  the  Time  of  Their  Infancy^  or 
Non-age  5  conceiving  it  to  hold  certainly  while 
fuch  Children  fliould  be  incapable  of  aBual 

Sin, 

*  Vid.  Timoth.  Jlex.  Canonic.  Refponf. 

Conf.  Martene,  De  Antiq.  Eccl.  Rit.  Tom.  I,  p.  43 1. 

^  Vid.  Martene,  Anecdot.  Tom.  IV.  p.  712,  1082. 

Apoftol.  Conft.  L.  VII.  c.  xxv.  p.  374. 

""  Han-ish  Voyages,  Vol.  II.  p.  182,  238. 

Bnre'wood,  p.  167. 


Infant-Communion.         127 

Sin,  or  grievous  Sin,  and  no  longer  s :  So  that 
as  foon  as  a  Child  fhould  arrive  to  the  Age  at- 
which  Sins  are  imputable.  They  might  think 
the  ufe  of  the  other  Sacrament  necejjary^  or  at 
leaft  expedient  2ind.fafe,  The  Dodlrine  of  our 
Church  is  5  that  it  is  certain  by  God's  Word, 
that  Children  which  are  baptized,  dying  before 
'They  commit  aSiual  Sin,  are  undoubtedly  J aved^  : 
In  which  Words  the  undoubted  Sufficiency  of 
Baptifm  is  extended  no  farther,  than  to  the 
Time  of  committing  aSiual  Sin.  The  Suffi- 
ciency of  Baptifm,  while  it  excludes  the  Ne- 
cejity  of  Infant-Communion,  is  no  Argument  by 
it  felf  againft  a  more  early  Communion  than 
is  now  in  Pracftice  amongil  us :  So  that  the 
Antients  were  very  confiftent  in  not  admitting 
Infant-Communion  properly  fo  called,  but  withal 
admitting  Children  of  6,  7,  or  10  Years  of  Age 
to  the  Lord's  Table. 

However, 

6  See  St.  Auftin  above,  p.  8,  lo. 

The  fame  Principle  obtain'd  down  to  the  IX"*  Century,  as 
appears  from  Strabo,  De  Reb.  Eccl.  c.  vi. 

*  Kubrick  at  the  End  of  the  Office  of  Publick  Baptifm  of  In- 
fants. N.  B.  This  Kubrick  in  King  Ed-ward's  Firft  Book  ran 
thus:  And  that  no  Man  Jhall  think,  that  any  Detriment  Jhall  come 
to  Children  by  differ7-ing  of  Their  Confirmation,  He  fnall  hionu  for 
Truth,  that  it  is  certain  by  God's  Word,  that  Children  being  bap- 
tized (if  They  depart  out  of  this  Life  in  Their  Infancy)  are  un- 
doubtedly faved.  In  King  Edward's  Second  Book,  it  ran  thus  : 
It  is  certain  by  God's  Word,  that  Children  being  baptized  ha^e  all 
Things  neceffary  for  Their  Salvation,  and  be  undoubtedly  fa-ved. 
At  the  Reftoration  it  was  altered  to  what  it  now  is,  amounting  to 
the  fame  in  Senfe  with  what  it  firft  was.        .   . 


128        An  Enquiry  comer jiing 

However,  it  is  certain  that  They  did  not, 
could  not  proceed  upon  'John  vi,  in  fuch  Their 
practice  :  For,  had  They  founded  it  upon 
Verfe  53*^,  rigoroufly  interpreted,  They  muffc 
have  given  the  Communion  even  to  mere  In- 
fants^ as  the  Greeks  of  late  Times  have  done  ^. 
Tht  Ancients  feem  to  have  founded  Their  Prac- 
tice upon  prudential  Reafons,  or  general  Rea- 
fons  of  Edification,  purfuant  to  Chriftian  Prin- 
ciples. They  biew  that  Children  were  fafe  in 
Their  Baptijin,  while  guilty  of  no  aBiial  Sins : 
They  knew  not  fo  certainly  whether  They  were 
feciire  after  committing  ^/Vw,  without  'Repen- 
tance and  the  Eucha?-ijl  befides  :  They  chofe 
what  They  thought  was  fafejl  and  bcft  :  Upon 
that  Principle,  probably  (for  I  have  no  clear 
and  certain  Authorities  for  it)  They  gave  the 
Communion  to  Children^  at  fuch  an  Age  as  I 
have  before  mention'd. 

V. 

Now,  if  it  fliould  be  afk*d,  whether  We 
at  this  Day  may  not  be  obliged  to  do  the  fame  ^ 
I  take  leave  to  anfwer  as  follows. 

I.  Scripture 

*  Nic.  Cahajilas  of  the  XIV'''  Century,  Sifneon  Thejfalonlcenjis 
©f  the  XV*,  and  Others  of  the  XVP*'  are  cited  in  Jrcudius  de 
Concord.  Eccl.  p.  45,  ^r .  324,  i^c.  Compare  G^^rzV/ 6' /W/«" 
in  Leo  Allatius,  p.  1667. 

Smith's  Account  of  the  Greek  Church,  p.  161, 

Siinonh  Crit.  Hiil.  p.  5,  6,  13. 

Co^el,  p.  i86. 


Infant-Communion.  129 

1.  Scripture  hath  not  precifely  determined, 
at  what  Jge  a  Perfon  fliould  firfl  be  admitted 
to  Communion.  2.  There  is  no  Example  of 
admitting  young  Children  to  it,  till  the  Time 
of  Cyprian,  the  Middle  of  the  T^hird  Cen- 
tury :  And  it  might  be  much  later,  before 
the  Prad:ice  became  general.  3.  If  the 
Pra(Stice  was  founded  (as  probably  it  was) 
upon  This  Principle ;  that  as  foon  as  Baptifm 
became  impaired^  the  Ufe  of  the  Eucharifi 
ought  to  come  in  as  fiihjidiary,  or  fupple- 
mental  to  it ;  it  was  a  Principle  of  Weight, 
but  not  certain  enough  to  create  any  ftriSi 
Obligation :  For,  iince  Baptijm  hath  its  federal 
Effe(5l  all  along  ;  who  can  prefunie  to  fay, 
that  the  Baptifm  preceding,,  and  the  Repen- 
tance yi//^y?^z^^;z^,  may  not  hQ  fiifficient  for  Re- 
mijjion,  till  fuch  Time  as  Children  grow  up  to 
riper  Age,  fo  as  to  be  better  qualified  for  Self-^ 
Examination^  and  for  difcerning  the  Lord's 
Body  in  the  Holy  Communion  ?  4.  Since  the 
Queftion  feems  to  turn  chiefly  upon  the  Ex- 
pediency  of  the  Thing,  and  Iince  Expediency  is 
known  to  vary  with  Times  and  Circumftan- 
ces  i  it  feems  to  be  moflly  left  to  the  Wijdom 
and  Integrity  of  Church- Governors,  to  deter- 
mine, in  every  Church,  what  fhall  be  judged. 

Vol.  II.  D  d  iipon 


130       An  Enquiry  concerning 

upon  the  whole,  moil  for  the  Honour  of  God, 
and  the  Interefts  of  true  Rehgion,  and  the 
Good  of  Souls.  Much  may  be  pleaded,  on 
the  Foot  of  'Expediency,  for  the  ancient  Prac- 
tice w-.  Much  alfo  may  be  pleaded,  on  the 
fame  Foot  of  'Expediency,  for  the  Modern  U- 
fage  X.  A  Multitude  of  Circumftances  mufl 
be  taken  into  Account,  in  Order  to  form  a 
clear  Judgment  upon  the  whole  :  And  there- 
fore, as  I  before  hinted,  it  feems  to  be  a  Mat- 
ter properly  lodged  with  the  Church- Gove r- 
norsi  whofe  Diredions  therein  are  the  fafeft 
Rule  for  private  Chrillians  to  be  guided  by, 
and  to  fubmit  to  without  Heiitation  or  Scru- 
ple. The  Antients  exprefs'd  Their  Reverence 
for  the  Sacrament  in  a  Way  fuitable,  perhaps,' 
to  Their  Circumllances  :  The  Moderns  may 
exprefs  no  lefs  Reverence  for  the  fame  Sacrament 
in  a  Way  fomewhat  different,  as  Circumflan- 
ces  are  alfo  different.  It  is  fufiicient  to  have 
Hiewn,  that  the  Antients  did  not  pradife  In- 
fant- Communion^ 

^^  See  Bifhop  Taylors  Worthy  Communicant,  Ch.  iii.  §.  2. 
p,  142,  b'r. 

P^/Vf^'s  Effay,  Part  IV.  p.  171,  ^c, 
^  See  Eifliop  Taylor,  ibid,  p,  147. 
^KzV^r.  Thefaur.  Tom.  II.  p.  1139. 
Bingham,  XV.  4.  7. 
Arcud'ius,  de  Concord.  Eccl.  p.  44. 
Tovjer/on  on  the  Sacraments,  p.  282. 


Infant-Communion.         131 

f ant-Communion,  properly  fo  called,  at  all  j  nor 
give  the  Communion  to  Childfrn  under  a  No- 
tion of  fuch  ftricfl  Necejfity  as  hath  been  pre- 
tended. They  had  Thtw  prude?2tial  Reafons 
for  Their  Prattice  in  Their  Times  3  and  We 
alfo  have  the  like  prudential  Reafons  for  a  dif- 
ferent Prad:ice  in  Ours. 

VI. 

Before  I  take  Leave  of  the  Subjed:,  it  may 
not  be  improper  to  take  fome  Notice  of  the 
Condud:  of  the  Rommiijis  with  relation  to  the 
Charge  made  againfl  the  Antients  j  as  likewife 
of  the  Condudt  of  the  Protefants  in  relation 
to  the  fame  Charge  :  Becaufe,  as  1  conceive. 
Neither  of  Them  have  been  fo  careful  to  do 
the  Antients  Juflice  in  This  Article,  as  might 
have  been  expelled,  or  dedred. 

The  Romanijls,  for  the  Sake  of  Two  great 
Popes,  Innocent  and  Gelasius,  and  for 
the  Honour  of  the  T^rent -Council,  are  obliged, 
in  a  Manner,  to  acquit  the  Antiejits  of  teach- 
ing the  Necejjity  of  Infant -Communion  :  And 
therefore  feveral  very  learned  Writers/ amongfl: 

Vol.  II.  Dd  2  Them 


y  Arcudius  de  Sacram.  Euchar.  L.  iii.  c.  xlv.  p.  344,  ^V. 
Bona  de  Reb.  Liturg.  L.  ii.  c.  xix.  p.  7 1 1. 
I'loris  Vindic.  Auguflin.  civ.  p.  71.  item  p.  167. 

Natalis 


132        An  'Enquiry  concerning 

Them  have  particularly  laboured  in  This  Ar- 
ticle, to  take  off  the  injurious  Imputation. 
Neverthelefs,  They  appear  but  faint  or  lame 
Advocates  in  This  Caufe  ;  not  maintaining  it 
to  Advantage,  or  not  upon  right  Principles  j 
becaufe  They  are  perplex'd  with  Another 
Caufe,  wherein  They  think  it  concerns  Them 
to  extol  the  EuchariJ}  very  highly,  derogating 
as  much  from  the  Other  S(ic?'-af7tent.  They 
cannot  bear  to  be  told,  that  Baptifm  carries  in 
it  all  the  Spiritual  Graces  and  Privileges  which 
the  Euchariji  can  be  fuppofed  to  do ;  or  that 
it  is  as  properly  a  Sacrifice  as  the  Euchariji  is  j 
or  that  it  makes  a  Perfon  Partaker  of  the 
Body  and  Blood  of  Chrift,  for  the  Time  being, 
as  much  as  the  Euchariji  does.  Thefe  are  all 
true  and  found  Principles ;  and  upon  Thefe 
Principles,  the  Antients  maintain'd  the  Sujici- 
ency  of  Baptifm^  in  Oppoiition  to  any  fuppofed 
Necejjity  of  Infant -Com  nnmi  on  :  But  as  the  pre- 
fent  Roma?ii/is  cannot  go  fo  far,  without 
rifquing  the  Credit  of  TranJubJia7itiation,  which 
They  are  flrangely  fond  of  j    They  cannot 

make 

Natalis  Mxand.  Tom.  III.  Sec.  ii.  Differt.  XVI.  p.  549.  item 
Tom.  V.  p.  !  29. 

The  BenediSline  Editors  of  St.  Jitjiln,  Tom.  X. 

7heol.  Lo'vatziettf.  Aaguftin.  Opp.  Tom.  VII.  p.  189.  in  An- 
not. 

fafquez.  in  3  Thorn.  Difp.  214.  c.  iv.    S.  35,  36. 


Infant-Communion.  133 

make  fo  clear,  or  open,  or  full  Defence  of  the 
Fathers  in  This  Article,  as  might  be  wiih'd. 
Maldonatez,  for  His  Part,  was  content  to 
give  Them  up  in  This  Point,  for  the  Sake  of 
eftablifliing  His  own  Conftrud:ion  of  John  vi. 
And  a  late  zealous  Defender  of  'Tranfubjianti- 
ation,  finding  that  the  high  Notions  of  the 
Efficacy  oi  Baptijm  flood  in  His  Way,  has  been 
pleafed  to  inlinuate,  that  what  the  Antients 
have  fo  frequently  inculcated  in  Favour  of  One 
Sacrament,  was  to  be  under  flood  of  Both  Sa- 
craments in  Conjundion^ ;  and  thus  He  hoped 
to  get  clear  of  the  plain  and  full  Teftimonies 
pleaded  by  the  learned  and  judicious  Alber- 
TiNUsb.  This  new  Turn  may  indeed  ferve 
the  Romifi  Canfe,  in  One  Branch  of  Contro- 
verfy  j  but  it  is  betraying  it  in  Another,  where- 
in the  Credit  of  Pope  Innocent,  and  of  Pope 
Gelasius,  and  of  the  Decrees  of  the  Tre?it- 
Coimcil  appear  nearly  concerned  :  For,  unlefs 
the  Fathers  really  taught  the  Szifficie?2cy  of 
Baptijm  alone,  to  fuch  Purpofes  as  have  been 
mention'd,  there  is  no  effectual  Way  of  clear- 
ing the  Fathers  from  the  Charge  of  maintain- 
ing the  NeceJJity  of  Infant -Cortununion  5  tho* 

the 

2  Maldonat.  in  Johan.  vi.  53.  p.  i486,  1487,  1438. 

^  Touttai  Differtat.  prfev.  in  Cyrill.  Hierof.  p.  192,  206,  208, 

^  Jlbertin.  de  Eucharift. 


134       -^^  Enquiry  concerning 

the  Trent-Coimcil h2ith.  affirm'd  that  They  iland 
clear  of  it. 

As  to  ProteJia?2fs,  I  cannot  fay  that  They 
have  condu(fled  always  unexceptionably  in  This 
Article  :  For  tho',  in  the  Controverfy  about 
the  Eiicharifi^  They  have  conftantly  pleaded 
the  Authority  of  the  Antients^  as  to  making 
■  Baptif77i  equivalent  to  the  Eucbariji  in  all  Re- 
fpecfls,  or  in  fome  Refpecfts  more  confiderable, 
which  is  fo  far  right  j  yet,  for  the  Sake  of 
overthrowing  Papal  Infallibility,  They  have 
fometimes  been  too  willing  to  give  up  Inno- 
cent and  Gelasius,  (and  with  Them  St. 
Austin  alfo,  and  oihtv  Antie?Jts^)  with  re- 
fpedl  to  the  NeceJJity  of  Infant-Communion  : 
Which,  in  EfFed:,  feems  to  be  pulling  down 
with  one  Hand,  what  They  build  with  the 
other.  Either  let  the  Antients  be  allowed  to 
fpeak  fully  up  to  the  Suficiency  of  Baptifn-y 
and  then  They  add  much  Weight  to  the  pj'-o- 
teftant  Caufe  in  the  Controverfy  about  the 
Eiichariji  :  Or,  if  They  were  weak  enough 
to  aflert  the  NeceJJity  of  Infant -Communion ;  let 
Them  not  be  called  in  to  prove  that  Baptifn 

amounted 

«  So  Dr.  Wall.  Hift.  of  Inf.  Bapt.  Part  II.  c.  9. 

And  Bingham  XV.  4,  7.  But  ^homelike  thought  morejuftly 
of  the  Fathers  in  I'his  Article,  Epilog,  p.  176.  De  jur.  finiend, 
Controv.  p.  285. 


Infant-Communion. 


135 


amounted  to  Spiritual  SacriJicCy  or  that  it  was 
the  fame  Thing,  in  EfFedt,  with  Feedij2g  upon 
the  Body  and  Blood  of  Chrift.  There  is  no 
maintaining  both  Parts,  no  reconciling  both 
Ends  of  a  Contradidiion.  0?2e  of  the  Pofiti- 
ons,  as  they  confront  each  other,  muft  be 
given  up :  And  I  am  willing  to  hope,  enough 
hath  been  faid  to  determine  impartial  Judges, 
which  to  give  up,  and  which  to  retain. 


FINIS. 


BOOKS  printed  for  W.  Innys  ^/  the  WejU 
End  of  St,  PauiV,  and  Sold  by  R.  Man  by, 
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A  Review  of  the  Dodlrine  of  the  Eucharift,  as  laid  down 
in  Scripture  and  Antiquity.     By  Daniel  Waterlandy 
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The  Chriftian  Sacrifice  explain'd  :  In  a  Charge  delivered 
to  the  Middkfex  Clergy  at  St.  Clement- Danes,  April  20, 
1738.  To  which  is  added  an  Appendix.  By  Daniel 
Waterlandy  D.  D.  Archdeacon  of  Middle/ex ,  and  Chap- 
lain in  Ordinary  to  his  Majefty. 

The  Sacramental  Part  of  the  Eucharift  explain'd  :  In  a 
Charge  deliver'd  in  part  to  the  Clergv  of  Middle/ex,  at  the 
Eafter-Vifi ration  1739.  By  DaniellVaterland,  D.  D.  8vo. 

Diftinftions  of  Sacrifice  :  Set  forth  in  a  Charge  deliver'd 
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1740.     By  Daniel  fVateriand,  D.  D.  8vo. 

Regeneration  ftated  and  explained  according  to  Scripture 
and  Antiquity,  in  a  Difcourfe  on  Tit.  iii.  4,  5,  6.  By 
Daniel  IFateiiand,  D.  D.  8vo. 

Scripture  Vindicated  :  In  Anfwer  to  a  Book,  entituled, 
Chriftianity  as  Old  as  the  Creation.  Part  I.  The  lUiird 
Edition.     To  which  is  prefix'd  a  general  Preface. 

N.  B.  The  Preface  may  be  had  feparate. 

Animadverfionsupon  a  late  Pamphlet,  entituled,  Chrifti- 
an Liberty  afierted,  and  the  Scripture-Doftrineof  the  Tri- 
nity vindicated.     By  a  Clergyman  in  the  Country. 

The  Church  of  England  vindicated,  in  requiring  Sub- 
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Religion.  In  Anfwer  to  the  Objections  and  Calumnies  of 
a  late  Writer.   8vo. 

The  Plain  Account  of  the  Nature  and  End  of  the  Sa- 
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V 


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